Proof-of-concept Investigation of Active Velcro for Smart Attachment Mechanisms

A Smart Attachment Mechanism (SAM) possesses the ability to attach two surfaces and effect relative motion between the surfaces upon command. This paper introduces a new SAM technology called Active Velcro which exhibits these capabilities. The conceptual design and its operation are explained along with a brief discussion of several key design issues that govern its architecture. Proof-of-concept prototypes were fabricated at two scales: one at a large-scale (26 x 22.5 x 6 cm) using off-the-shelf components, and a second at a reduced-scale (0.55 x 0.63 x 0.21 cm) utilizing stereolithography. In bench-top tests, the prototypes demonstrated planar translation and rotation capabilities while retaining the part being manipulated thereby proving the Active Velcro concept.