Tensegrity Explained

Tensegrity (or tensional integrity, or floating compression) is really counterintuitive. These bizarre structures can be explained quite nicely with a 2D version (you know I love to explain things with a 2D versions!).

Previous videos where I explain something by making a 2D version:

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[SteveMould]

Is there anything you *can't* explain with a 2D model?

[ungratefulmango]

Much like myself, it is being held up entirely by stress.

[gabbyrodems]

This concept would be so cool to apply to earthquake technology in buildings. Super stable along the y-axis, but there’s motion in the x and z axises. Tho I wounded if the concept would break down at a larger scale.

[erickleefeld]

It’s kind of like a magic trick: All your attention is going to those longer outer wires/strings/chains/etc. But the actual work of holding up the structure is done by that one in the middle, which holds the upper piece so it can hang from the base. The outer wires then keep it in balance.

[WWLinkMasterX]

One sentence version: The central rope carries all the weight, all the other ropes just keep it in balance by preventing it from falling to any one side.

[John_Kennedy]

I think this gets needlessly overcomplicated which is why people get confused despite how simple it is.
The middle one holds it up and supports the weight. The outer ones stop it from tipping in either direction. This creates a stable equilibrium.

[studiosandi]

That is incredibly interesting! Thank you so much for taking the time to make this video❤

[lazerwing]

ah yes: "the string wants to collapse but constant stress is keeping it up"

[guarddog]

Another name for this principle is "dynamic tension".
It's something I was taught in college, when I was studying to become a mechanical designer.

In the model from the thumbnail, the shorter, central chain bears the weight of the upper piece, while the 2 longer chains act to keep the balance, and keep the upper piece from falling backwards.

It's an interesting exercise in learning to see lines of force, and how they interact with each other.

[Gakusangi]

I saw the thumbnail and thought a sec and realized how this all works. Very creative!

[rjdc]

"it wants to collapse but constant stress wont allow it" -some weird cool model

[BRJASON]

The part about tensegrity in nature reminds me of something from "Structures: Or, Why Things Don't Fall Down" by J.E. Gordon. He said trees are under compression on the inside and tension on the outside. I thought that was neat.

[israelRaizer]

Me: *knows how tensegrity works*
Steve: *makes a video explaining tensegrity*
Also me: *watches the video anyway because it's Steve*

[GamingPhilosophe]

So just how the 2-D tensegrity structure was unstable in 3 dimensions, would that make a 3-D tensegrity structure unstable in 4 spacial dimensions?

What would a 4-D tensegrity structure even look like?

[HBA_Detailing]

Website: Stirling engines

*Sells table*

[oliverdiamond]

i made one of these with lego and string, it worked really well, suprisingly easy to make too.

[dizquier]

We own that exact baby toy. I love playing with that thing. Oh, and our Daughter does too I guess.

[jonathan.gasser]

"By changing the length of the cables in tension, you can actually move the structure around robotically"
*Structure rolls down the hill*

[valles]

Only 4 minutes of your video, and I imideatly understood the concept. Thank you!

[psydemekum]

This looks so fake! Even i understand how it works, my brain still says, no way this is real and functional.