Motion Structure

 

Welcome to Motion Structure Laboratory(MSL) of Tianjin University

Motion structures are simply assemblies of resistant bodies connected by movable joints. They allow large shape transformations to satisfy practical requirements.

MSL was founded by Professor Chen Yan in 2012 in Tianjin University. Research within MSL concentrates on spatial mechanisms, rigid origami, thick-panel origami, deployable structures, metamaterials, mechanical intelligent robotics.

There have been 31 researchers including professors, PhD students, master students and undergraduate students in MSL.

If you are interested in our research, please contact us by yan_chen@tju.edu.cn.
The latest news
• Publications: Engineering Structures| Sibo Chai and Yiran Jiang published Programmable Bistability of Curved-Crease Origami Polyhedron 2026-02-26
• Lab News: The Structures of Motion Laboratory sends you its warmest wishes for a joyful and prosperous New Year in the Year of the Horse! 2026-02-16
• Lab News: Many congratulations to Xiaochen Yang on her doctoral dissertation being awarded "3A" thesis on the platform of the Ministry of Education and successfully passing the doctoral dissertation defense 2026-02-10
• Publications: International Journal of Mechanical Sciences| Sibo Chai published Panel-Driven Actuation Framework for Curved-Crease Origami 2026-02-09
• Publications: SCIENTIA SINICA Physica, Mechanica & Astronomica | Dr. Weiqi Liu published Reconfigurable modular origami metamaterial with full-spectrum programmable Poisson’s ratio 2025-12-25
• Awards: MSL Student Wins the 3rd Space Universities CubeSat Challenge China Region First Prize 2025-12-12
• Publications: Fundamental Research | Kaili Xi published A family of multi-stable mechanisms based on the threefold-symmetric Bricard linkage 2025-12-06
• Lab News: Symposium on Multidisciplinary Fusion Design and Application of Metamaterials and Robotics Successfully Held 2025-11-30
• Publications: AIS | Zhenhao Jia published A Multimode Soft Robot Based on a Single Braided Tube 2025-11-14
• Publications: Science Advances | Dr. Weiqi Liu et al. have achieved a breakthrough in the field of actively tuning symmetry 2025-11-13