Abstract

Purely muscle-driven mechanisms have hard limits to their kinematic performance, restricted by properties inherent to the muscle. Many organisms overcome the limitations of muscle mechanics with the integration of elastic elements, such as tendons, into their systems. We’re specifically interested in latch-mediated, spring-actuated (LaMSA) systems, in which energy is slowly stored in an elastomer, latched into place, then removal of the latch quickly releases the elastic energy, which drives the mechanism’s movement and results in kinematic outputs which are impossible with muscle alone. This thesis aims to investigate, using materials testing, how the asymmetric loading and unloading time affects the energy efficiency of an elastomer.