  Reconfigurable metamaterials are constructed from tessellation of deformable
modules that give rise to a set of tuneable properties. To date, most research
focuses on metamaterials that morph between final configurations along a single
deformation path. Multi-pathway metamaterials that can transform into several
different shapes according to various external stimuli are rare. Here we
propose a kinematic based metamaterial with multiple predefined deformation
paths. The inherent kinematic bifurcations of the deformable unit cells enable
the metamaterial to switch among different paths under simple stimuli at one
particular configuration, resulting in the enhancement of reconfigurability.
The metamaterials demonstrated in this paper can provide multiple open channels
in different orthogonal directions, making them suitable for multifunctional
applications such as tuneable filters and reconfigurable wave guiding
materials.
