Active Articulated Mesh Structures

Modular Active Cell Robots (MACROs) aim to create redundant, high DOF articulable structures for applications in deconstructible architecture in harsh climates, adjustable cranes for space applications, deformation-controlled airfoils, etc. Our approach is a relatively novel paradigm for engineered systems, but is ubiquitous in biology. An organ (such as the human heart) is a functional device that serves a specific set of tasks. The tissue from which the heart is made, however, is an abstract collection of subunits (cells). The type of cells present in the tissue, the connectivity and configuration of these cells and their method of activation dictates the performance of the tissue.