+ TENSEGRITY SPHEROID FOR NASA + ARDUINO, 3D PRINTING, AND TESENGRITY STRUCTURE
Prompt: Design a tensegrity structure using rods and an Arduino to introduce movement. The tensegrity structure should withstand a five foot fall. The physical model should behave and designed in a way that allows it to move across a rocky terrain.
The video shows the spheroid tensegrity structure rolling, which uses an arduino kit and joystick to control the direction of the pull. The red joints are custom 3D printed to fit the design of the tensegrity structure, which you can see the details of those joints below.

Tensegrity
structures are complex forms comprised of both compression and tension members,
which creates the issue of active control tensegrity much more complex. When
controlling a tensegrity model in order to make it active there are many
factors to consider: the different nodes of actuation, the time to control each
node, and the desired outcome behavior. Before I started with the actuation I
was thinking of the behavior that I wanted and was fascinated by making a
tensegrity model roll in a linear direction. I designed a tensegrity structure
that is hybrid system comprised of two half sphere with a central planar
component. The method of constructing the tensegrity sphere was to first
experiment with different iterations of physical models, investigate a series
of typologies, construct a digital model and simulate it to behave in a certain
way and then eventually go back to the physical model and construct it again
with the right components. After many experimentations and iterations, I found
that when compressing two cables that are diagonal from each other it rolls
onto another face. Another factor to consider were the different joints and
designing each one of them to help with the behavior. One of the joints that
were designed was a three way flexible joint to be able to take a certain shape
when it’s being compressed. The design of the spheroid allows it to be
adaptable in terms of future applications in space. The way the spheroid
functions is through continuous rolling in a straight line, which can be used
to replace tires or can be multiplied as a module to create a longer rolling
form.






