TRANSMATERIALS THE COMING GENERATION OF BUILDING PRODUCTS

摘要

A hingeless flapping apparatus inspired by the deformation principle found in Strelitzia reginae, a flowering plant native to South Africa. Researchers at the University of Stuttgart's Institute of Building Structures and Structural Design were inspired by the nonautonomous movement of the plant's valvular pollination mechanism. Their model, composed of glass fiber and thermoset resin, exhibits elastic deflection without the need for an assemblage of sensitive mechanical elements. The system takes advantage of fiber-reinforced polymers, which have a low stiffness-to-strength ratio. The glass reinforcing fibers transmit light and are resistant to weather. Maximum length: 6 feet, 6.75 inches (200 cm).