Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Full Ebook of Deployable Multimodal Machine Intelligence Applications in Biomedical Engineering 1St Edition Hongliang Ren Online PDF All Chapter
Full Ebook of Deployable Multimodal Machine Intelligence Applications in Biomedical Engineering 1St Edition Hongliang Ren Online PDF All Chapter
https://ebookmeta.com/product/applications-of-artificial-
intelligence-in-process-systems-engineering-1st-edition-
jingzheng-ren/
https://ebookmeta.com/product/computational-intelligence-and-
data-sciences-paradigms-in-biomedical-engineering-1st-edition-
taylor-francis-group/
https://ebookmeta.com/product/machine-learning-applications-in-
civil-engineering-1st-edition-kundan-meshram/
Machine Learning Algorithms and Applications in
Engineering 1st Edition Prasenjit Chatterjee
https://ebookmeta.com/product/machine-learning-algorithms-and-
applications-in-engineering-1st-edition-prasenjit-chatterjee/
https://ebookmeta.com/product/applied-biomedical-engineering-
using-artificial-intelligence-and-cognitive-models-1st-edition-
garza-ulloa/
https://ebookmeta.com/product/biomedical-engineering-1st-edition/
https://ebookmeta.com/product/multiscale-modelling-in-biomedical-
engineering-ieee-press-series-on-biomedical-engineering-1st-
edition-antonis-i-sakellarios/
https://ebookmeta.com/product/swarm-intelligence-and-machine-
learning-applications-in-healthcare-1st-edition-manish-gupta-
editor/
Lecture Notes in Bioengineering
Hongliang Ren
Deployable
Multimodal
Machine
Intelligence
Applications in Biomedical Engineering
Lecture Notes in Bioengineering
Advisory Editors
Nigel H. Lovell, Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering, University of New
South Wales, Kensington, NSW, Australia
Luca Oneto, DIBRIS, Università di Genova, Genova, Italy
Stefano Piotto, Department of Pharmacy, University of Salerno, Fisciano, Italy
Federico Rossi, Department of Earth, University of Salerno, Fisciano, Siena, Italy
Alexei V. Samsonovich, Krasnow Institute for Advanced Study, George Mason
University, Fairfax, VA, USA
Fabio Babiloni, Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Rome Sapienza,
Rome, Italy
Adam Liwo, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland
Ratko Magjarevic, Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing, University of
Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Lecture Notes in Bioengineering (LNBE) publishes the latest developments in
bioengineering. It covers a wide range of topics, including (but not limited to):
• Bio-inspired Technology & Biomimetics
• Biosensors
• Bionanomaterials
• Biomedical Instrumentation
• Biological Signal Processing
• Medical Robotics and Assistive Technology
• Computational Medicine, Computational Pharmacology and Computational
Biology
• Personalized Medicine
• Data Analysis in Bioengineering
• Neuroengineering
• Bioengineering Ethics
Original research reported in proceedings and edited books are at the core of
LNBE. Monographs presenting cutting-edge findings, new perspectives on classical
fields or reviewing the state-of-the art in a certain subfield of bioengineering may
exceptionally be considered for publication. Alternatively, they may be redirected
to more specific book series. The series’ target audience includes advanced level
students, researchers, and industry professionals working at the forefront of their
fields.
Indexed by SCOPUS, INSPEC, zbMATH, SCImago.
Hongliang Ren
Deployable Multimodal
Machine Intelligence
Applications in Biomedical Engineering
Hongliang Ren
Department of Electronic Engineering
The Chinese University of Hong Kong
(CUHK)
Hong Kong, Hong Kong
Department of Biomedical Engineering
National University of Singapore
Singapore, Singapore
© The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature
Singapore Pte Ltd. 2023
This work is subject to copyright. All rights are solely and exclusively licensed by the Publisher, whether
the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse
of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfilms or in any other physical way, and
transmission or information storage and retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar
or dissimilar methodology now known or hereafter developed.
The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this publication
does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant
protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use.
The publisher, the authors, and the editors are safe to assume that the advice and information in this book
are believed to be true and accurate at the date of publication. Neither the publisher nor the authors or
the editors give a warranty, expressed or implied, with respect to the material contained herein or for any
errors or omissions that may have been made. The publisher remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional
claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
This Springer imprint is published by the registered company Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.
The registered company address is: 152 Beach Road, #21-01/04 Gateway East, Singapore 189721,
Singapore
Contents
v
vi Contents
Contents
Deployable mechanisms (DM) refer to the mechanics of the device actuation that
can bring an object from a point, such as outside the body, to another target area,
such as inside a body. DM can change its geometry to reduce its bulk size and
improve transportability into the confined space. The internal deformation of the
DMs can contribute to the ease of transportability. Upon reaching the target site, the
mechanisms can reconfigure their geometry to accomplish a new purpose, such as
inspections, collecting samples or delivering drugs. This morphing of the structure
can be interpreted in a few ways, and one perspective is from the field of origami, the
art of folding paper. The structure morphing is useful in transportability and could
also be valuable for adapting and personalizing DMs to individual subjects.
© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2023 1
H. Ren, Deployable Multimodal Machine Intelligence, Lecture Notes in Bioengineering,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-5932-5_1
2 1 Preface and A Brief Guide to the Chapters
Origami and kirigami can also be combined by selectively cutting and folding along
the paths of cuts to create and assemble complex and intricate pop-up structures
that can be integrated with actuation for transoral insertable applications (Chap. 3,
Fig. 1.2).
Chapter 3 builds a tendon-driven foldable tubular manipulator with bistability.
This manipulator is intended for navigation inside the oral/nasal passage for swab
collection. Hollow foldable concentric tubes are telescoped for deployability, bistable
structures, and tendon-driven mechanisms allow for more types of movements. This
design concept can enable an automatic tongue-depressing swab collector to reduce
1.2 Tethered and Insertable DM/DS 3
a b c
Waterbomb
Miura-fold for a
retractable wing
Straw
f
d e
Fig. 1.1 Chapter 2 reviews orimimetic deployable mechanisms with potential functionalities in
biomedical robotics
Fig. 1.2 Tethered insertable DMs. Chapter 3: Deployable and interchangeable telescoping tubes
actuated with multiple tendons. Chapter 4: Deployable and foldable parallelogram mechanism for
generating remote center of motion
4 1 Preface and A Brief Guide to the Chapters
reliance on healthcare workers during the pandemic. The key benefits of tethered
tendon actuation are the load-bearing capabilities. The major drawbacks are the
limited number of actuating wires limiting the dexterity and the entanglement of
tendons.
Chapter 4 describes a motorized foldable RCM (Remote Center of Motion) mech-
anism, incorporating 2 belt-type RCMs (Dual-RCM) for keyhole insertable motions
in both horizontal and vertical planes. The single-incision (entry-port) procedures are
minimally invasive but pose design challenges for foldable DM insertions through a
single entry-point.
Fig. 1.3 Tethered Pneumatic DMs in Chap. 5 (Origami Bending and Bistability for Transoral
procedures) and Chap. 6 (Force-sensitive origami trihexaflexagon gripper actuated by foldable
pneumatic bellows). Chap. 7: Untethered Inflatable Origami
1.4 Swallowable Magnetic DMs for Untethered Motions 5
This section, including 6 chapters (Chaps. 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13, Figs. 1.4 and
1.5), describes preliminary attempts to integrate a cut-and-fold 3D structural engi-
neering technique, origami, with tetherless magnetic actuation to construct swal-
lowable origami robots that can generate diverse untethered motions. Swallowable
and morphable robots are popular in confined in-vivo applications such as gastroin-
testinal (GI) interventions. The pleated origami crease pattern can be actuated by an
external magnetic field (permanent magnetic or electromagnetic actuators).
Fig. 1.4 Swallowable untethered magnetic DMs in Chaps. 7, 8, 9 and 10 with the External Perma-
nent Magnet (EPM) as an effector. Chapter 8: Wormigami and Tippysaurus origami structures.
Chapter 9: Multi-leg insect-size soft foldable robots. Chapter 10: Magnetically Actuated Luminal
Origami (MALO). Chapter 11: Compressable and steerable Slinky motions
Fig. 1.5 Chapter 12: Electromagnetically actuated origami structures for untethered optical
steering. Chapter 13: Untethered soft ferromagnetic quad-jaws cootie catcher with selectively
coupled degrees of freedom
and dampening profile. We attach smaller magnets onto the structures and use an
external magnet to utilize the attraction and repulsive forces to make the model move.
The designs involve Internal Permanent Magnets (IPM) placed on the structure, and
an External Permanent Magnet (EPM) used as an effector. The structural motion
is remotely controlled by manipulating the magnetic coupling of the IPM on the
structure and EPM. Magnetic actuation can remotely control motions along regular
and irregular surfaces by inducing varying magnetic moments.
Chapter 8 presents two magnetically actuated origami structures: Wormigami and
Tippysaurus.
1.4 Swallowable Magnetic DMs for Untethered Motions 7
Fig. 1.6 Chapter 14: Wearable Origami Rendering Mechanism (WORM) for aspiring haptic
illusions. Chapter 15: Wearable Compression-aware Force Rendering (CAFR) with deployable
compression generating and sensing. These multi-DOF deployable robots integrated tactile interface
sensing and multimodal actuation
1.6 Deployable Sensing Mechanisms 9
The type of material and fold significantly impact the softness of the robot as the
type of fold controls the degree of freedom and actuation of the robot. The possible
structural additions can enhance its potential as a haptic or massaging tool.
There exist unmet needs for kinesthesia sensorization and closed-loop feedback to
ensure the precision and accuracy of fine movements of DMs. Introducing kinesthesia
sensory into the robotic system hopes to improve feedback control precision. DMs
with actuation can benefit from having integrated and deployable kinesthetic sensing
elements. Integrated deployable strain sensors (Such as Chaps. 15 and 16) can provide
position feedback during actuation, which assists the control of such DMs when direct
visual feedback is unavailable.
Current research mainly employs two categories of 3D structural engineering
techniques: cut-and-fold techniques (e.g., Chap. 17) and compressive buckling (e.g.,
Chap. 18). Compressive buckling techniques can create geometric surface patterns
such as wrinkles and crumples.
Kirigami techniques involve cutting patterns in a structure, conferring stretcha-
bility and diverse programmable curved 3D structures. As such, kirigami is often
employed to fabricate stretchable strain sensors (Chaps. 18 and 19) for DMs.
Chapter 16 introduced a hydrogel silver nanowire soft sensor to provide structural
feedback on a kirigami model.
Fig. 1.7 DMs with multimodal sensing (Chaps. 16 and 17) and kirigami patterned electronic skin
(Chaps. 18 and 19). Chapter 16: Kinesthesia sensorization of foldable tubular designs using soft
sensors. Chapter 17: Flat Foldable Kirigami for Chipless Wireless Sensing. Chapter 18: Deploy-
able kirigami for intra-abdominal monitoring. Chapter 19: Stretchable Strain Sensors by Kirigami
Deployable on Balloons with Temporary Tattoo Paper
10 1 Preface and A Brief Guide to the Chapters
Reality Perception
Visual Tactile
sensing
Actuation
Fig. 1.9 Multimodal robotic deployable mechanisms couple visual-tactile sensing, actuation and
intelligent perception capabilities (Chap. 21). Combining deployable mechanisms with built-in
multimodal sensors endows the robots with intelligent perception and adaptive control capabilities.
Multimodal actuation can be integrated to elongate and contract the deployable body for motion
generations
Hannah Liu, Bok Seng Yeow, Catherine Jiayi Cai, Zion Tsz Ho Tse,
and Hongliang Ren
Contents
2.1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
2.2 Orimimetic Design and Its Role in Keyhole Procedures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
2.2.1 Origami for Rapid Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
2.2.2 Action Origami and Its Role in Keyhole Procedures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
2.3 Origami-Inspired Technologies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
2.3.1 Miura-Ori-Inspired Designs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
2.3.2 Curved-Crease Origami . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
2.3.3 Waterbomb-Inspired Designs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
2.3.4 Modified Mountain/Valley-Fold Origami . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
2.4 Other Miscellaneous Origami Methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
2.4.1 Variably Patterned Graphene Structures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
2.4.2 Variably Patterned Cell-Based Designs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
2.5 Other Graspers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
2.5.1 Two-Jaw Surgical Graspers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
2.5.2 Issues with the Traditional Two-Jaw Graspers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
2.6 Fortune-Teller-Inspired Grasper Designs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2023 13
H. Ren, Deployable Multimodal Machine Intelligence, Lecture Notes in Bioengineering,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-5932-5_2
14 2 Orimimetic Folds into Deployable Mechanisms with Potential …
2.1 Introduction
The art of origami shows potential within multiple medical areas, such as surgical
instruments and biomimetic technologies. Origami lends for increasingly miniscule
devices, which have implications for decreased trauma and recovery time. Origami
folds can be implemented on various materials and confer different desired capa-
bilities depending on the intended applications. Engineers can easily manipulate
these folds, opening a large pool of actuation and fabrication possibilities for various
biomedical devices, ranging from stents to surgical meshes. Not only can origami
provide dexterity and movement, but it can also contribute to biomimetic confor-
mations, which are essential in tissue engineering settings. Different known origami
folds on flat materials variably provide these abilities. In this work, we provide a brief
review of origami concepts that have been applied within engineering and show how
different types of folds can lead to various potential biomedical outcomes.
We will delve into a pressing issue within surgical graspers. In particular, tradi-
tional two-jaw graspers have been shown to induce concentrated stress when phys-
ically manipulating tissue, which can cause trauma to patient tissue. We propose
a 4-jaw fortune-teller-inspired grasper. We focus on the structure, dexterity, and
opening/closing ability, which primarily works towards mitigating the issue of
mechanically induced tissue deformation or injury. Origami folding principles are
consulted for conceptualization, while paper and 3D models are fabricated to conduct
a comparative study of actuation methods. We found that an “inverted smaller fortune
teller” method worked best to open the design while a twisting method closed it
most effectively as both methods took advantage of the relationship between the
compliant properties. This concept provides the potential for a novel grasper to
manipulate tissue and still be dexterous without inducing tissue damage through the
advantageous properties of origami.
2.2 Orimimetic Design and Its Role in Keyhole Procedures 15
Origami is the ancient art of paper folding, which is currently making its way into
engineering in applications such as packaging, space telescopes, solar panels, and
architecture (Bowen 2013; Johnson et al. 2017a; Greenberg et al. 2011). There are
two main branches: (1) rigid origami and (2) action origami (Bowen 2013; Greenberg
et al. 2011). Both employ basic folds that can be used in various orientations to yield
completely different products. Many use mountain and valley folds, referring to a
convex or concave crease, respectively, while others take inspiration from kirigami,
the art of folding and cutting paper (Greenberg et al. 2011; Edmondson et al. 2013).
One broad appeal of origami modeling is that rigid origami can be mathematically
modeled and simulated with computer programs, which are time- and cost-efficient
(Bowen 2013; Johnson et al. 2017a; Tachi 2009). Orimimetic design refers explicitly
to applying basic folding concepts to mechanical design, which can become a reality
with the rise of 3D printing and inexpensive fabrication methods, which can use
fewer materials for a simplified construction, especially at a microscale (Johnson
et al. 2017a; Greenberg et al. 2011). Origami lends for rapid prototyping and a vast
pool of design inspiration as a single sheet of flat material can yield infinite numbers
of structures, allowing for applications in medical settings (Bowen 2013; Johnson
et al. 2017a).
degrees of freedom (DOF) under loading conditions while also shrinking for inser-
tion during keyhole KP—known as flat foldability (Bowen 2013). The flat-foldability
nature of origami-inspired designs opens up possibilities for printable, lightweight
robotics (Zhang et al. 2016).
Additionally, the actuation mechanism of these origami structures is referred to
as compliant mechanisms. Their motions from twisting/bending rather than through
hinges and bearings infer specific force–deflection properties and increase manipula-
tive abilities inside the body. This is the capability of imitating the skeletal movements
of vertebrates (Nelson et al. 2016; Zhang et al. 2016; Hollingshead 2016). With this
actuation mechanism, these origami-inspired structures confer increased precision
and reduced “wear and tear” compared to other bulky counterparts (Nelson et al.
2016). Different folds of the origami design open new actuation possibilities that
reduce parts and/or mechanical energy consumption, allowing small-scale fabrica-
tion (Greenberg et al. 2011). One actuation mechanism, a spherical mechanism, is
the “source of motion in the action origami models”. When actuating the device,
“the motion can be traced down the folds to the center of each spherical mech-
anism” (Bowen 2013). Origami-inspired forceps employed two variations of four
spherical mechanisms for ease of use, mechanical advantage, ease of actuation, grip-
ping surface, and range of motion (Edmondson et al. 2013). The more spherical
mechanisms present, the larger the manipulative capacity for this case. Thus, action
origami provides a possible route to maintain or increase dexterity while exhibiting
space efficiency.
While origami techniques can be applied to various thin, flat materials, issues
occur when a project concerns inherently thick materials, making it difficult to
translate every imagined “zero-thickness model” into a foldable product (Bowen
2013; Morgan et al. 2016). There have been developments in thick-origami tech-
niques to preserve a range of motion and kinematics, but origami depends upon
different folds of materials (Greenberg et al. 2011). However, origami refers to the
application of variable folds to a flat sheet. One can explore its effect on a multi-
tude of different materials, both flexible and biocompatible, such as graphene or
perylene-based sheets.
Origami exhibits widespread and far-reaching applicability, from flat-foldability
and biocompatibility to mechanical strength, flexibility, actuation, and dexterity.
In the following sections, each of these factors and a multitude of origami folds
utilized in various biomimetic constructs and surgical/explorative instruments will
be reviewed for various medical applications. Subsequently, an origami-inspired
grasper will be proposed for future research.
Human operations are inherently complex and thus difficult to replicate for force
actuation, flexibility, biocompatibility, and scalability. Surgical instruments can be
inspired by origami-based methods to maximize dexterity and force output. A recent
2.3 Origami-Inspired Technologies 17
Miura folding a single plane into a smaller plane provides a solution to fabricate
low-mass yet large space platforms for space missions (Miura 1985). Its series of
alternating parallelograms, whose motion at its vertices, is known as the spherical
mechanisms and allows full expansion from the smaller plane through one simple
and continuous motion (Fig. 2.1) (Miura 1985).
For KP, this type of motion is favorable, as these designs compress and fit within
miniscule constraints and can expand quickly with preferably one motion. This
folding technique is most useful for flat sheets and thus has been used with flat
gauze and meshes, which are widely used surgical materials (Nakase et al. 2016).
These designs provide structural support to organs or tissue for procedures within
the body due to their flat conformations (Nakase et al. 2016), 2D characteristics of
meshes or adhesion barrier membranes. Externally controlled 2D geometries may
not necessarily “fit” when traveling throughout the body (Nakase et al. 2016).
Classic Miura-ori folds translate a one-DOF input motion into two to introduce a
flat surface into the corporeal cavity. This design presented high compressibility and
subsequent expansion, efficiently increasing surface coverage, commonly used in
space solar array storage/deployment (Miura 1985; Nakase et al. 2016). Miura-fold-
techniques with flat foldability can fit within slim, cylindrical trocars and expand
on its own, a function not inherent in the Miura-fold (Nakase et al. 2016). This
chevron pleats procedure (CPP), allow periodic mountain and valley folds arranged
in a zigzag pattern to create V-shaped angles, like those on leaves and insect wings
Fig. 2.1 Miura-ori folds consisting of alternating parallelograms and bi-axially compressing into
the plane (Blue lines: mountains; Red lines: valleys)
18 2 Orimimetic Folds into Deployable Mechanisms with Potential …
Straw
Crease chart
Fig. 2.2 a CPP was applied to Seprafilm and Integran using a dual polypropylene sheet pressing
design to create the V structures with a maximum width of 5 mm. b The Seprafilm material was
pushed into a polypropylene tube like a slim, long syringe with a manually controlled inner tube
and an outer sheath. c The pleated sheet can thus be ejected from the design with the push of a hand
(Nakase et al. 2016)
(Fig. 2.2) (Nakase et al. 2016). This method is useful for expanding surgical mesh and
in hemostasis and application of adhesion barrier membranes (Nakase et al. 2016).
A flat sheet mesh was used in a transabdominal preperitoneal hernia repair (TAPP)
in conjunction with a 5-mm trocar (Nakase et al. 2016). Utilizing an ejecting device
that functions similarly to a syringe, the mesh created through CPP had a duration
of delivery, expansion, and fixation of 261.5 ± 50.1 s, while with only a flat mesh
and grasper, it took a maximum of ~1.90 times longer (Nakase et al. 2016). This
technique serves the direct purpose of KP, which is to decrease operative duration
and complexity, vastly improving patient recovery time. CPP removed the need
for multiple trocars/graspers that would inhibit a clear visual of the surgical area.
Usually, 12-mm trocars apply to mesh during TAPP, but CPP meshes can be used
with as small as 5-mm trocars, leading to noticeably improved clinical outcomes
(Nakase et al. 2016). This particular style of fold successfully decreases the span
of the surgical mesh, allowing it to fit within a small cylindrical apparatus, more
specifically, a trocar. This design can be used with other flat sheet designs in the
future that may need to pass through similar conformations, like a blood vessel,
lending for specificity based on the operational necessity. Additionally, the natural
2.3 Origami-Inspired Technologies 19
connected in series with an aligned central backbone, they had the same conforma-
tional angles, which meant that a single actuator could coordinate a complex motion
along a polylinkage, opening possibilities for a gripper (Kamrava 2018). The gripper
contained five linkages at 50° and 150° angles, including a motor in the middle
of the grasper and a gearbox to transfer angular displacement and torque from the
motor to two middle plates equally (Fig. 2.4). To further elaborate, the origami string
uses a similar degree-4 vertex as the Miura-ori tessellation. Because of the crease
assignments to ensure Kawasaki’s theorem of flat foldability, this type of vertex has
only one-degree freedom as distances on the paper face are not allowed to stretch or
bend. The main structural modification to the flat folded design is the joint angles
that determine the vertex’s flat folded state. The vertexes used in the origami string
have a central backbone (comprised of two colinear creases) with a joint angle of
180 during the flat folded state. This angle is changed when the vertex is flat folded.
Simultaneous to the folding of the joint in the backbone, the other two creases are
simultaneously folded due to the one-degree freedom of the vertex. When multiple
such vertices are in a serial pattern, the preceding vertex constrains the motion of
the subsequent vertex, and hence the entire serial mechanism only has one degree
of freedom. By actuating the angle between a pair of lateral edges of a vertex (flat
folding the structure), the linear backbone of the entire structure can be bent based
on the joint angle as the entire structure is flat folded. This one degree of freedom
motion can be used as a grasping actuation that can be used to interact with an object
(Fig. 2.4).
This work was further translated into a biomimetic hand, where each of the
five fingers uses one actuator, each finger, tendon-driven or pneumatically driven,
depending heavily on the conformation of the grasped object (Kamrava 2018). The
above design is customizable in that each joint can be individually programmed to
provide high dexterity (Kamrava 2018). While the mesh and Parylene-cell sheets
focused more on compressibility, the gripper and hand design utilized the fold for
ease-of-actuation capabilities, showing the potential to be modified and harnessed
for specific purposes.
Origami usually employs straight creases to create variations of mountain and valley
folds. However, origami using curved creases, which dates back to the 1930s, is not as
commonly used but does open possibilities for different design fabrication techniques
and different actuation/motion capabilities than the former (Koschitz et al. 2008).
Curved origami on a sheet of Parylene-C (PA-C) can differentially fold the design
to fit the shape of a retina (Liu et al. 2013). Intraocular epiretinal implants, primarily
used to treat age-related macular degeneration, require curved electrode arrays, which
can be minimally inserted in their 2D form and then folded into a 3D conformation to
match the geometries of the host tissue (Liu et al. 2013). This capability to precisely fit
the size/shape of a retina through actuation of the origami folds represents widespread
2.3 Origami-Inspired Technologies 21
Fig. 2.4 Origami robotic gripper at a crease pattern view where the actuation moment can be
produced by a servo motor and received by the gripper through a gearbox. b The degree-4 vertex
presents a network of four spherical mechanisms in series. c Progression of folding and grasper of
a small spherical object at different angles (Kamrava 2018)
Fig. 2.5 Configuration of a paper D-CORE in its a planar crease pattern and b deployed states
The Waterbomb design features a variety of mountain and valley folds which allow
a flat sheet to collapse in on itself (Fig. 2.6).
There is a negative Poisson’s ratio between radial and axial dimensions when
these units are alternated to make a cylindrical tube, which allows the structure to
compress with two-DOFs, a desirable feature in designs used within tight constraints
(Onal et al. 2013). This feature of the Waterbomb design can create a “cup-grasper”
using a fluid-driven actuation method. A fluid-driven approach is simple, efficient in
function and cost, and can create significant stresses and thus deformation (Li et al.
2017). A flexible skin and fluid medium of a compressible skeleton proved useful for
mini medical devices, wearable robotic exoskeletons, and space exploration (Li et al.
2017). A fluid medium causing pressure differences translate into the external skin’s
tension, mimicking muscle properties (Li et al. 2017). With this type of actuation,
as pressure decreases, sheets with the Waterbomb design form a cylindrical shape
from an original spherical one and display a 91% contraction ratio (Li et al. 2017).
Other methods of artificial muscle actuation are usually limited by cost, scalability,
and single-DOF contraction, such as SMAs that produce significant stresses but have
slow cycle times and polymers that require high external stimuli. Secondly, a “magic-
ball” origami was fabricated to act as a gripper—which featured these Waterbomb
folds—in conjunction with a cylindrical compression spring, grasping a water bottle
Fig. 2.6 Basic unit of the Waterbomb design, where red lines indicate mountain folds while blue
lines represent valley folds
24 2 Orimimetic Folds into Deployable Mechanisms with Potential …
fully as internal pressure began to drop (Li et al. 2017). This design made equal force
output throughout the design inferring stability and efficient actuation.
The contractile nature of the folds allows creating robotic worms. Fabricating indi-
vidual patterned sheets and consequently combining them can prove to be laborious.
Thus, differentially patterning a single sheet to introduce hinges, joints, or springs can
act within the body—this allows for low fabrication costs (Onal et al. 2013). Also, as
previously noted, this type of fold allows compression in both axial and radial direc-
tions, allowing for small-scale, lightweight robotics that can be compatible with the
spatial constraints within the human body (Onal et al. 2013). There are three origami
folds created—Yoshimura, Diagonal, and Waterbomb—where the former two are
great for cylindrical axial or rotary motion, and the latter could compress in both
axial and radial directions (Onal et al. 2013). A combination of all three designs
would possibly allow for a functional tube that is both compressible in all directions
and dexterous, with applications in artificial muscle pulling on a tendon and a stent
(Onal et al. 2013).
Remarkable general requirements for an origami-inspired micro-robot include
ease of folding and actuator attachment and a design that can exhibit a sort of stiff-
ness and sturdiness when manipulated (Onal et al. 2013). The Waterbomb was a
simple repetition of folds over a flat sheet, and NiTi actuators that function within
temperature constraints could be attached at both ends. The design included three
Waterbomb base folds placed in 120° increments, creating large deformation and
stiffness (Onal et al. 2013). Once these coils were radially wound around the Water-
bomb base, upon actuation, the design made a worm-like peristaltic motion (Onal
et al. 2013). This design was printed in 17 min, only used one NiTi coil, and could
crawl about 50 mm in 3 min (Onal et al. 2013). This design focused on the actua-
tion capabilities that the Waterbomb fold provides, and its cylindrical conformation
allows for possible applications in explorative KP.
The most basic folds used variably to create 3D constructs are mountain and valley
folds, where the former makes an upward projecting, convex-like fold, while the latter
makes an opposing concave-like fold. These two patterns are what most designs like
the Miura-ori fold and Waterbomb are based upon and provide a vast pool of design
possibilities.
A 3D cylindrical structure with fold patterns similar to the Waterbomb-type
designs could act as a compressible self-deployable origami stent for KP (Kurib-
ayashi et al. 2006). Stents, which are commonly used to rectify restenosis issues,
pass through the small, almost cylindrical constraints of blood vessels to clear a
blockage. SMAs are used for their “shape memory effect” and biocompatibility and
can respond to temperature, pH, or electric stimuli, making them a great candidate
for origami actuation (Kuribayashi et al. 2006). These grafts are cylindrical tubes
2.3 Origami-Inspired Technologies 25
Fig. 2.7 Paper model of the origami stent graft when a folded and b fully deployed and partially
folded. c A repeated folding pattern of the stent-graft
with identical mountain and valley fold patterns (Fig. 2.7), which act as hinges to
fold and deploy longitudinally and radially (Kuribayashi et al. 2006).
These grafts can be packaged inside a sheath to pass through a narrow tube or
space within the body during KP. Once this sheath is removed, the graft is free
to deploy in both radial and axial directions. By using SMA’s, the stents could be
deployed at body temperature. However, these technologies are inherently expensive
actuation techniques (Kuribayashi et al. 2006).
Mountain and valley folding allows for one- or two-DOF compression and is a
simple yet powerful tool. Manipulating mountain and valley folds, displays poten-
tial for safe and powerful actuation for robotics through origami-inspired artificial
muscles (Li et al. 2017). A symmetrical zigzag design featuring alternating moun-
tain and valley folds could achieve 90% linear contraction through fluid actuation
(Li et al. 2017). The force output of the zigzag design was found to be excellent as it
was able to lift loads with actuation stress six times greater than that of a mammalian
skeletal muscle (Li et al. 2017). This design can have powerful implications for arti-
ficial muscle and machinery that need lightweight tools to produce large force output
magnitudes.
26 2 Orimimetic Folds into Deployable Mechanisms with Potential …
As previously stated, origami refers to folding a flat sheet into an entirely different
conformation (Fig. 2.8), and thus strict folds like mountains and valleys do not neces-
sarily need to be implemented. In essence, origami reaches as far as the user’s imag-
ination. The following section details various designs that fold into a 3D construct
in functionality and actuation method.
Inspiration from origami allows for complexity and intricacy, but Actuation methods
ranging from manual tendon-driven to fluid-driven exist. However, since origami
can be applied to any flat and flexible sheet, different materials can be used for
their inherent mechanical properties to allow the self-folding of patterns. One such
example is a graphene-based paper, which has become more favorable than other
polymers as it can be programmed to fold and unfold through the conversion of other
forms of energy into mechanical work (Mu et al. 2015). Other polymers usually
Fig. 2.8 a–f Show the versatility of these actuation designs, creating various 3D deployable
structures, either container-like designs or others employing the mountain-valley fold
2.4 Other Miscellaneous Origami Methods 27
Not only can differential origami patterning enhance properties such as ease of actu-
ation and dexterity, but it can also provide ways to recreate crucial, functional 3D
conformations that are specifically useful for scaffolds and artificial tissues/organs
Another random document with
no related content on Scribd:
circumference and weight, being often from one and a half to two
yards in diameter and not much less in height, and consisting of
fairly thick branches and twigs, which are neatly stuck together or
mortared with clay. If one does not happen to notice how the umber-
bird slips out and in one would never imagine that these structures
were hollow, but would rather take them for the eyrie of a bird of
prey, especially as eagles and horned owls frequently nest on the
top of them. But when one has seen the real owner enter, and has
inspected the nest closely, one finds that the interior is divided into
three compartments, connected by holes which serve as doors, and
further observation reveals that these three compartments answer
the purpose of hall, reception or dining room, and brooding-chamber.
This last room, the farthest back, is slightly higher than the rest, so
that if any water should get in it can flow away; but the whole
structure is so excellently built that even heavy and long-continuing
showers of rain do very little damage. Within the brooding-chamber,
on a soft cushion of sedge and other materials, lie the three, four, or
five white eggs on which the female sits; in the middle chamber the
male meantime stores up all sorts of provisions, a bountiful supply of
fish, frogs, lizards, and other dainties which he has caught, so that
his mate can choose from these stores, and has only to reach
forward to satisfy her hunger; in the entrance chamber the male
stands or sits, whenever he is not busy hunting for food, to keep
guard and to cheer his mate with his society, until the growing
offspring take up the whole attention of both.[52]
The association of umber-bird and eagle or horned owl is not a
solitary instance of friendly companionship on the part of birds
belonging to different species and totally unlike in their habits. On the
broad, fan-like leaves of the magnificent duleb-palm, which stand out
horizontally from the trunk, the nests of the dwarf peregrine falcon
and the guinea-dove often stand so close together that the falcon
could easily grasp one of his neighbour’s young ones. But he does
not touch them, for he is only accustomed to attack birds on the
wing, and thus the little doves grow up in safety beside the little
falcons, and the parents of both often sit peacefully beside each
other, near their respective nests.[53]
Another palm gave me an opportunity of observing birds whose
brooding surprised and fascinated me greatly. Round a single tom-
palm there flew, with constant cries, small-sized swifts, nearly related
to our own swifts, and my attention was thus directed to the tree
itself. On close observation I saw that the birds frequently repaired
between the leaves, and I then discovered on the grooves of the
leaf-stalks light points which I took to be nests. I climbed the tree,
bent one of the leaves towards me, and saw that each nest, which
was made chiefly of cotton, was plastered firmly in the angle
between the stalk and the midrib of the leaf, cemented by salivary
secretion, after the method usually followed by swifts. But the hollow
of the nest appeared to me so flat that I wondered how the two eggs
could remain lying when the leaf was shaken by the wind. And it
must have shaken with the slightest breath, not to speak of the
storms which often raged here! Carefully I reached out my hand to
take out the eggs; then I saw with astonishment that the mother had
glued them firmly to the nest. And as I examined newly-hatched, tiny,
helpless young birds, I saw, with increasing astonishment, that they,
too, were attached to the nest in the same way, and were thus
secured from falling out.
Fig. 32.—Long-tailed Monkeys.
Till the end of the first half of last century our forefathers shared their
dwellings with the black rat, and knew the brown rat only by hearsay,
if at all. The first was a rat with many, but not all the vices of its race.
It lived in our houses, ate grain, fat, and all kinds of provisions,
gnawed doors, boards, and furniture, racketed at night like a noisy
ghost through old castles and other spook-favouring buildings,
caused much annoyance, many a fright, strengthened superstition
and the fear of ghosts in many a mind; but it was possible to live with
it, one could manage to get along. A capable cat held it in check; a
skilful rat-catcher was more than a match for it. Then its most terrible
enemy appeared, and its star began to wane. In 1727, swarms of
brown rats, which seem to have come from India, either directly or by
way of Persia, were seen to swim the Volga, and we soon learned
what awaited Europe. Following canals and rivers, the brown rats
reached villages and towns, entered, in spite of men and cats, the
lower stories of our dwellings, filled vaults and cellars, ascended
gradually to the garrets, ousted its relative after long and inexorable
warfare, made itself master in our own houses, and showed us in a
thousand ways what a rat could do. It possessed and exercised all
the vices of its family, mocked at all our attempts to drive it away, and
remained in possession of the field, which, up till now, we have tried
to wrest from it with dogs and cats, by traps and snares, poison and
shooting. Almost at the same time as it swam over the Volga, it
reached Europe by another route, coming from the East Indies to
England on board ship. Then began its world-wanderings. In East
Prussia it appeared as early as 1750, in Paris three years later,
Central Germany was conquered in 1780, and here, as everywhere
else, the towns were first colonized, and the flat country round taken
in by degrees. Villages not easily reached, that is to say, not lying on
river-banks, were only invaded in the last decade of this century: in
my boyhood it was still unknown in my native village, and the black
rat, now being crowded out even there, held undisputed possession
of many places where its rival now reigns supreme. Many isolated
farms were only reached later, about the middle of the present
century, but the victorious march still goes on. Not content with
having discovered and conquered Europe, towards the end of last
century the brown rat set out on new journeys. In the sea-ports
already colonized, the rats swam out to the ships, climbed on board
by the anchor chains, cables, or any other available ladders, took
possession of the dark, protecting hold, crossed all seas, landed on
all coasts, and peopled every country and island, where its chosen
protector and compulsory host—civilized man—has founded
homesteads. Against our will we have helped it, or at any rate made
it possible for it, to carry out a greater extension of range than has
been attained by any other mammal not in subjection to man.[56]
Another remarkable illustration of wandering is afforded by the
souslik, a destructive rodent about the size of a hamster, belonging
to the family of squirrels and sub-family of marmots. Eastern Europe
and Western Siberia are its head-quarters. Albertus Magnus
observed it in the neighbourhood of Ratisbon, where it is now no
longer found, though it has recently appeared in Silesia. Forty or fifty
years ago it was unknown here, but, at the end of the forties or
beginning of the fifties, it appeared no one could tell whence, and
from that time it has pressed slowly westward. Its migrations, too,
have been helped by man, for, though it is not confined to cultivated
fields, these afford the habitat most suited to its taste.
The same holds true of many species of mice, which extend their
territories as the soil is cultivated. On the other hand, man narrows
the possible range of many mammals by deforesting, by draining
marshes, and by otherwise changing the character of whole tracts of
country. In this way, far more than by direct persecution, he does
much to influence the migration of the mammals which have
established themselves in these areas. For the fundamental law
holds good for mammals as for other creatures, that suitable
districts, and these only, will be colonized sooner or later,
notwithstanding the arbitrary and usually rough and cruel
interference of man.
Quite different from such wanderings are the expeditions made by
mammals to secure a temporary betterment. These are probably
undertaken, if not by all species, at least by representatives of every
family in the class; they vary in duration and distance, and may even
have the character of true migrations, but they always come to an
end after a certain time, and the wanderer ultimately returns to his
original place of abode. The intention or hope of reaching better
grazing or hunting grounds, the desire to profit by some casual
opportunity for making life more comfortable, may be said to be the
chief motive of such expeditions. They take place all the year round,
in every latitude and longitude, even in districts where the conditions
of life do not vary materially at different times. The mammal begins
and ends them either alone or in bands, companies or herds,
according as it is wont to live with its fellows; it follows the same
routes with more or less regularity, and appears at certain places at
approximately the same time, yet it is always guided by chance
circumstances.
When the fruits of the sacred fig and other trees surrounding the
temples of the Hindoos are beginning to ripen, the Brahmins who
tend temple and trees await with unctuous devotion the arrival of
their four-footed gods. And not in vain, for the two divinities, Hulman
and Bunder, two species of monkey, unfailingly appear to strip the
luscious fruits from the trees piously planted and tended for their
benefit, and also to rob and plunder in the neighbouring fields and
gardens as long as it is worth while. Then they disappear again, to
the sorrow of their worshippers and the joy of the other inhabitants of
India, whose possessions they have ravaged, as they gathered in
their spoils in their usual ruthless fashion. In Central Africa, when the
chief cereal of that country, the dhurra or Kaffir-millet, comes to
maturity, a dignified and inventive baboon, tried and experienced in
all the critical situations of life, leads down the flock of which, as
leader, he is justifiably proud, to see whether Cousin Man has been
good enough to sow the nutritive grain for him this year also. Or,
about the same time, a band of long-tailed monkeys, under not less
excellent leadership, approaches the edge of the forest in order not
to miss the right moment for a profitable, and, as far as possible,
undisturbed ravaging of the fields. When the golden orange glows
among the dark foliage in South American plantations, the capuchin
monkeys make their appearance, often from a great distance, to
share the fruit with the owner. Other plant-eaters too are led by the
hope of gaining an easier livelihood into regions and districts which
they usually avoid; insectivores periodically follow the insects when
they are for the time abundant at this place or that, and large beasts
of prey keep in the wake of herbivorous mammals, especially of the
herds belonging to man. The lion journeys from place to place,
following the wandering herdsmen on the steppes of Africa; Russian
wolves followed close on the retreat of Napoleon’s defeated army,
pursuing the unfortunate fugitives as far as the middle of Germany.
Otters undertake land journeys to get from one river-basin to
another; lynxes and wolves in winter often traverse very wide
stretches of country. Such journeys bring about a change of
residence, but they do not constitute a migration in the true sense of
the word. It is only exceptionally, too, that they are undertaken from
real necessity, which we must look upon as the cause of all true