Easy-to-actuate multi-compatible truss structures with prescribed reconfiguration.

Multi-stable structures attract great interest because they possess special energy landscapes with domains of attraction around the stable states. Consequently, multi-stable structures have the potential to achieve prescribed reconfiguration with only a few lightweight actuators (such as shape-memory alloy springs), and do not need constant actuation to be locked at a stable state. However, most existing multi-stability designs are based on assembling bi-stable unit cells, which contain multitudes of distractive stable states, diminishing the feasibility of reconfiguration actuation.