Human progress has always depended on the ability to store and release energy efficiently.
Springs, buffers, and energy-damping materials power everything from industrial machines to futuristic robotic limbs.
Now, a breakthrough from scientists at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) is pushing energy storage technology to the next level.
They have developed a new class of mechanical metamaterials—artificially engineered structures that store and release elastic energy more efficiently than ever before.
This innovation could lead to major advancements in energy-efficient robotics, mechanical systems, and flexible structures that maximize energy use while maintaining strength and durability.
These materials use a unique structure of twisted rods that deform in a helical shape, allowing them to absorb and release large amounts of elastic energy.
By leveraging this novel design, researchers have created a material that combines high stiffness, high strength, and exceptional flexibility.
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