Inspired by the rapid shape transition of the Venus flytrap, a novel low-cost, bi-stable
piezoelectric energy harvester is proposed, analyzed, and experimentally tested for the …

Fluidic soft actuators are enlarging the robotics toolbox by providing flexible elements that
can display highly complex deformations. Although these actuators are adaptable and …

A synthesis of recent progress is presented on a topic that lies at the heart of both structural
engineering and non-linear science. The emphasis is on thin elastic structures that lose …

Designing metamaterials with programmable features has emerged as a promising pathway
for reusable energy absorption. While the current designs of reusable energy absorbers …

Mechanical bistable structures have two stable equilibria and can transit between them
under external stimuli. Due to their unique behaviors such as snap-through and substantial …

This paper presents the conceptual design, preliminary experimental validation, and
performance evaluation of a novel bio-inspired bi-stable piezoelectric energy harvester for …

Prestressed stayed columns (PSCs) are structural systems whose compressive load-
carrying capacity is enhanced through pre-tensioned cable stays. Much research has …

The buckling response of axially compressed cylindrical shells is well known for its
imperfection sensitivity. Mapping out a stability landscape by localized probing has recently …

Buckling-driven shape-shifting is increasingly being used in metamaterials to achieve
mechanical programmability and novel functionality. Here, we show that the post-buckling …

We consider a flexible mechanical metamaterial comprising an elastomeric matrix with an
embedded square array of circular holes. First, we use the deflated continuation technique …