Snap inflatable modular metastructures for multipath, multimode morphing machines

The practical success of soft robotics depends largely on actuators with advanced shape-morphing capabilities for tasks such as dexterous manipulation and adaptive locomotion. Traditional soft machines have faced limitations caused by the complexity of managing multiple operational modes within a single device. To address this, we introduce highly adaptable morphing machines that combine modular origami and kirigami designs with pneumatic snap-through and snap-back of bistable shells at tile junctions or kirigami creases. Controlled pressure triggers selective snapping at creases, enabling programmed shape transformations along multiple paths. Our analytical and computational framework predicts system morphology and dynamics, guiding the design of snap inflatable modular metastructures (SIMMs). Utilizing SIMMs, we have developed soft robots capable of navigating diverse terrains and perf…