バスケット織りに着想を得た高弾性メタマテリアル(Woven Metamaterials Inspired by Baskets for Stiff, Resilient Robots)

2025-08-28 ミシガン大学

ミシガン大学の研究チームは、古代のカゴ編みに着想を得た編み製メタマテリアルを開発し、『Physical Review Research』に発表した。マイラーポリエステルの細いリボンを直交させて編み込み、3D構造に成形すると、繰り返し圧縮しても元の形に戻る高い復元力と、従来信じられていたより高い剛性を兼ね備えることが判明。実験では高さ17cmの直方体を14cm圧縮しても変形せず、連続素材では破損が生じた。3Dスキャン解析により、編み構造は応力を広く分散させるため損傷を防ぐことが示された。剛性は連続素材の約70%を保持し、ロボットアーム型構造は自重の80倍を支え、四脚ロボット試作機は25倍の重さを保持しつつ歩行でき、過負荷後も元の形に復元した。応用先としてロボット、外骨格、車部品、建築構造が想定され、将来的には電子材料を組み込んだ「スマート」構造体への発展も視野に入れている。

バスケット織りに着想を得た高弾性メタマテリアル(Woven Metamaterials Inspired by Baskets for Stiff, Resilient Robots) Image credit: Tu & Filipov, 2025

<関連情報>

コーナートポロジーが編み籠を剛性かつ弾性のあるメタマテリアルに変える Corner topology makes woven baskets into stiff, yet resilient metamaterials

Guowei Wayne Tu and Evgueni T. Filipov
Physical Review Research  Published: 26 August, 2025
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/9srl-9gsc

Abstract

Basket weaving is a traditional craft used to create practical three-dimensional (3D) structures. While the geometry and aesthetics of baskets have received considerable attention, the underlying mechanics and modern engineering potential remain underexplored. This work shows that 3D woven structures offer similar stiffness yet substantially higher resilience than their nonwoven continuous counterparts. We explore corner topologies that serve as building blocks to convert two-dimensional woven sheets into 3D metamaterials that can carry compressive loads. Under small deformations, the woven corners exhibit axial stiffness similar to continuous structures because the woven ribbons are engaged with in-plane loads. Under large deformations, the woven corners can be compressed repeatedly without plastic damage because ribbons can undergo elastic local buckling. We present a modular platform to assemble woven corners into complex spatial metamaterials and demonstrate applications including damage-resilient robotic systems and metasurfaces with tailorable deformation modes. Our results explain the historic appeal of basket weaving, where readily available ribbons are crafted into 3D structures with comparable stiffness yet far superior resilience to continuous systems. The modular assembly of woven metamaterials can further revolutionize design of next-generation automotive components, consumer devices, soft robots, and more where both resilience and stiffness are essential.

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