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

沿沿着具有设计图案的折痕折叠平板以产生可变形结构的折纸启发的结构已广泛应用于科学和工程中，特别是在空间操作中，例如，用于部署安装在发射卫星上的折叠太阳能电池板。虽然变形过程中起着至关重要的作用，在折纸状态之间的过渡，很少有研究集中在折纸折叠机构的控制和致动的变形过程的高度自主性。该项目旨在开发一种自主折纸启发的可变形系统，以在需要频繁和/或时间响应的形状变化的空间操作中实现高性能变形机动。结合理论，分析，算法开发和实验验证的综合研究将有助于理论和实验平台，以提高折纸系统操作的自主性在具有挑战性的环境。这些研究产品将对激增的卫星市场产生重大影响，在这个市场上，需要低质量、小体积和适应性强的航天器结构/子系统。除了在太空任务中的应用外，折纸启发的可变形系统在科学和工程中有更广泛的应用。此外，网络和物理领域的专家合作促进了跨学科产品的创造，这些产品连接了不同的学科。为了实现提高折纸启发的可变形系统的自主性的研究目标，确定了四个研究方向，即（1）开发基于网络的多形状折纸结构建模和设计方法，（2）设计具有保证可控性、可达性和能源效率的集成传感和控制策略，（3）通过热负载开发可编程无束缚驱动以实现设计的控制机动，（4）评估在空间操作任务中使用多个折纸结构的自主系统的性能。这些确定的研究重点将共同有助于实现折纸变形过程的自主性的分析和计算框架，这将导致未来空间任务中的实际应用。从理论上讲，基于网络控制和图建模的基本分析可以导致严格的支持折纸变形过程的可控性，可达性和能源效率方面的控制性能。实际上，可编程无系留驱动的发展，使设计的控制命令的操作约束下生成。这个奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并已被认为是值得通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估的支持。

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.