Flexible Mechanical Metamaterials for Energy Management in Microrobots

This project leverages geometric nonlinearities in flexible structures to revolutionize energy management in microrobotics, aiming to replace traditional electronics with elasticity. By optimizing the geometry of elastic materials, e.g., origami mechanisms and multistable systems, we aim to significantly reduce the number of required actuators, allowing complex robotic movements to be controlled with a simple input. This approach not only minimizes energy consumption but also enables the creation of lightweight, scalable, and autonomous microrobots, opening new possibilities for deploying these systems in a wide range of environments without the limitations of traditional power sources.