Collaborative Research: CPS: Medium: Autonomy of Origami-inspired Transformable Systems in Space Operations

折纸启发的结构沿着折痕折叠平面的设计图案，创造可变形的结构，已广泛应用于科学和工程，特别是在空间操作，例如，部署折叠的太阳能电池板装备在发射的卫星。虽然变形过程在折纸状态之间的转换中起着至关重要的作用，但很少有研究关注折纸折叠机构的控制和驱动，以实现变形过程的高度自治。该项目旨在开发一种自主折纸式变形系统，以在需要频繁和/或时间响应形状变化的空间操作中实现高性能变形机动。将理论、分析、算法开发和实验验证相结合的综合研究将有助于建立一个理论和实验平台，以提高折纸系统在具有挑战性的环境中操作的自主性。该研究产品将对日益增长的卫星市场产生重大影响，因为市场对空间飞行器的低质量、小体积和适应性结构/子系统的需求很大。除了在太空任务中的应用之外，折纸启发的可变形系统在科学和工程方面有更广泛的应用。此外，网络和物理领域专家的合作促进了跨学科产品的创造，架起了不同学科之间的桥梁。为实现提高折纸变形系统自主性的研究目标，确定了四个研究重点，即：(1)开发基于网络的多形状折纸结构建模与设计方法；(2)设计具有可控性、可达性和能效保证的集成传感与控制策略；(3)开发通过热加载实现设计控制机动的可编程无系驱动；(4)多折纸结构自主系统在空间作战任务中的性能评价。这些确定的研究重点将共同为实现折纸变形过程的自主性提供分析和计算框架，这将导致在未来空间任务中的实际应用。从理论上讲，基于网络控制和图形建模的基础分析可以为折纸变形过程的可控性、可达性和能效控制性能提供严格的支持。实际上，可编程非系绳驱动的发展使在操作约束下生成设计的控制命令成为可能。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Origami-inspired structures that fold flat sheets along creases with designed patterns to create transformable structures have been widely applied in science and engineering, especially in space operations, e.g., for deployment of folded solar panels equipped on launched satellites. Although the deformation process plays an essential role in transitions between the origami states, few studies focus on the control and actuation of the origami folding mechanism toward high autonomy of the deformation process. This project aims to develop an autonomous origami-inspired transformable system to enable high-performance deformation maneuvering in space operations requiring frequent and/or time-responsive shape changes. The integrative research incorporating theory, analysis, algorithm development, and experimental verification will contribute to a theoretical and experimental platform to advance the autonomy of origami system operations in challenging environments. The research products will have significant impacts on the proliferated satellite marketplace where low mass, small volume, and adaptable structures/subsystems of space vehicles are in demand. Going beyond the applications in space missions, origami-inspired transformable systems have much broader applications in science and engineering. Moreover, the collaboration of experts in both cyber and physical areas promotes the creation of interdisciplinary products that bridge different disciplines.To achieve the research goal of advancing autonomy of origami-inspired transformable systems, four research thrusts are identified, namely (1) developing a network-based approach for modeling and design of multi-shape origami structures, (2) designing an integrated sensing and control strategy with guaranteed controllability, reachability, and energy efficiency, (3) developing programmable untethered actuation via thermal loading to realize designed control maneuvers, and (4) evaluating the performance of autonomous systems using multiple origami structures in space operation missions. These identified research thrusts will together contribute to an analytical and computational framework for achieving autonomy of the origami deformation process, which will result in real-world applications in future space missions. Theoretically, the fundamental analysis based on networked control and graph modeling can lead to rigorous support of control performance in terms of controllability, reachability, and energy efficiency for the origami deformation process. Practically, the development of programmable untethered actuation enables the generation of designed control commands under operational constraints.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.