Within this project a new type of engineering systems, called spatial compliant systems, should be investigated. The main goal of the project is to develop an efficient method for the optimal synthesis, realization, and control of spatial compliant systems with highly elastic sensors and actuators. Spatial compliant systems represent 3D compliant mechanisms with structurally integrated sensors and actuators. Unlike classical rigid-body mechanisms, compliant mechanisms are monolithic structures that utilize mostly elastic deformation of its individual segments to realize motion or force transmission. Thus, compliant mechanisms can overcome many disadvantages of rigid-body mechanisms, like no need for assembly, friction-free motion, better scalability (possible miniaturization), lightweight design, low-cost. By structurally integrating sensors and actuators within the compliant mechanism, an adaptive compliant system could be developed, which can sense its environment (external loads that act on it), realize appropriate response (via actuators and elastic structure) and adapt to changing environmental conditions (based on a controller). Here sensors and actuators represent structural segments of the compliant mechanism and elastically deform with the whole mechanism. The compliant system should be designed in one synthesis process, that the compliant mechanism structure and placement of the sensors and actuators are simultaneously synthesized. Spatial compliant systems impose one new level of complexity in the design, as the whole system can realize various degrees of freedom, for which general design tools have not been developed so far. The inspiration for compliant systems can be found in biological systems where both sensing and actuation are an inherent part of one system. Many applications in the field of medical devices and instruments, biomedical devices, adaptive systems or high-precise devices can benefit from these systems. Moreover, this kind of system offers one low-cost solution for these applications and could lead to devices that are less expensive. One of the project aims is to develop novel highly elastic sensors and actuators that are based on smart materials or fluidic driven structures and that are suitable for application in compliant systems. The new design method should be used to develop two spatial adaptive grippers, one based on mechanisms with distributed compliance and one based on mechanisms with lumped compliance. Such adaptive grippers can realize safe spatial grasping of different shaped objects. The project will aim to develop a manufacturing method for compliant systems where the whole system should be realized in one production process, e.g. by using 3D printing. Spatial compliant systems represent one new paradigm shift in engineering systems. Developed methods within this project would lead to engineering systems that do not need to be seen anymore as rigid, decoupled and designed in multiple steps, but rather as one integral, more organic system that is self-contained, multifunctional, adaptive and designed in one synthesis process.
