Kaleidocycle

The kaleidocycle is unique among compliant mechanisms for its ability to undergo continuous rotation. Most compliant mechanisms are able to flex back and forth over a certain range, however, the kaleidocycle's arrangement of compliant mechanisms allows the mechanism assembly to continuously rotate. This ability to continuously rotate was once thought to be possible only with traditional mechanisms, like bearings or bushings, but the kaleidocycle shows that belief is a thing of the past. Additionally, because each of the flexures has a certain stiffness, the kaleidocycle has multistable behavior. Depending on the relative stiffness of each joints, monostable, bistable, tristable, and even quadstable behaviors are possible.

Because there are no breaks in the joints, kaleidocycles can be fabricated out of an electricity-conducting material and used in electrical applications. This creates a continuously rotatable conductor, which could find unique uses in the electrical field.