## 1 Introduction  
Tensegrity structures consist of compression (struts) and tensile (cables) components which stabilize each other through pre-stress. The idea of tensegrity was first described about 60 years ago, but no precise, nor general, definition has currently been agreed upon. This thereby paves the way for confusion and misuse of the term in technical applications. The term is often used for trusses that have little to do with the tensegrity principle as defined by the creators of this idea. The first patented definitions of tensegrity are very general. [PERSON] (1966) described tensegrity systems as \"islands of compression in a sea of tension\". [PERSON] patented the system (1977) which he called \"Continuous Tension, Discontinuous Compression Structures.\" [PERSON] (1977) added the condition of self-stress state: Tensegrity structures consist of rods mounted in such a way that the struts remain physically isolated in a continuous set of cables. All these elements must be very close to one another and interconnected by tensional pre-stress. No external supports or anchors are required. It makes a structure as strong as the self-supporting structure, hence the name self-stress state. The most widely accepted definition of tensegrity is formulated by [PERSON] (1977), in which he combines the two previous statements: \"A tensegrity system is established when a set of discontinuous compression components interacts with a set of continuous tensile components to define a stable volume in space.\" This definition was narrowed by [PERSON] (2000, 2001): \"A tensegrity system is a system in a stable self-equilibrated state comprising a discontinuous set of compressed components inside a continuum of tensioned components.\" [PERSON] (2001) describes tensegrity structures as \"internallyprestressed, free-standing pin-jointed networks, in which the cables or tendons are tensioned against a system of bars or struts\". A broader interpretation is proposed by [PERSON] and [PERSON] [8; 9] who classify tensegrity as \"any structure realized from cables and struts, to which a state of prestress is imposed that imparts tension to all cables\". A narrower interpretation, also by [PERSON] and [PERSON], adds to the above definition the notion that \"as well as imparting tension to all cables, the state of prestress serves the purpose of stabilising the structure, thus providing first-order stiffness to its infinitesimal mechanisms\". [PERSON] [10] defines tensegrity structures as \"Self-stressed equilibrium cable networks in which a continuous system of cables (tendons) are stressed against a discontinuous system of struts; or structures composed of tensegrity simplexes\". [PERSON] and [PERSON] [11], based on existing definitions, describe characteristics of a tensegrity structure as follows: \"(1) The structure is free-standing, without any support. (2) The structural members are straight. (3) There are only two different types of structural members: struts carrying compression and cables carrying tension. (4) The struts do not contact with each other at their ends.\" [PERSON] et al. [12; 13; 14; 15; 16; 17; 18] take a different approach. They introduce the concept of tensegrity configuration: \"Configuration forms a tensegrity configuration if the given configuration can be stabilized by some set of internal tensile members, i.e., connected between the right bodies\" [12] and classes of structural systems: \"A tensegrity configuration that has no contacts between its right bodies is a class 1 tensegrity system, and a tensegrity system with as many as k right bodies contact is a class k tensegrity system.\" [13]. The definition proposed in this paper is based on the characteristics of tensegrities, closely related to their benefits. These include stabilization through tension, efficiency, deployability and easy tunability, the ability to be reliably modeled, and more precise controllability [13; 14].