Force model of a robotic particle chain for 3d displays

Abstract

We aim to construct a 3D screen -- an initially at 2D surface that can fold into the third dimension to display arbitrary three dimensional surface shapes. Our approach is based on chains of robotic particles that can be individually actuated to fold into a desired curve. This paper contributes a computational model of the forces acting on the robotic particles. Experimental results show that the model accurately predicts reality. The model forms the core of force-minimizing planning algorithms that compute a folding sequence approximating a given target curve while minimizing the actuation forces. The model is also instrumental for simulation tools that allow to study forces while executing a given folding sequence.