Engineers at Brigham Young University have unveiled a new technology that would allow them to build complex mechanisms into the exterior of a structure without taking up space below the surface.
Dubbed “developable mechanism,” these new mechanisms are made with materials that can take on any number of 3D shapes, allowing them to adhere to surfaces without tearing or stretching. Their extreme versatility allows them to transform or morph while an action is performed, returning to their original state when no longer in use. Such versatility could allow these mechanisms to be used in building complex machines that can integrate with surfaces to become more compact. These hyper-compact mechanisms can be applied in everything from surgical instruments to storage components to military drones.
The inspiration for these compact mechanisms came from research into origami-based engineering by BYU researchers Larry Howell and Spencer Magleby, who collaborated with origami artist Robert Lang.
