5 ms·

Origami is yielding new applications in spacecraft, architecture, and medicine

93 points by megamike 4y ago

eggy 4y ago
I have worked on deployable structures of scale using some of the principles of origami. The main obstacle to making successful structures that fold or deploy is that precision is very important, because once you have large joints in different planes things like deflection and fabrication tolerances become critical especially if you want to do more than a single unfold or deployment. A great book by Lang is "Twists Tilings and Tesselations" (2018) that goes over the mathematics of origami and folds. The Hoberman sphere works fine as a small toy, but imagine it built up to a sphere of size not in zero gravity and having to be open and closed several times. Engineering challenges that could lead to some pretty nifty deployable buildings on the Moon, Mars, and elsewhere.
aa-jv 4y ago
Origami is one of those subjects that hits the aesthetic button as well as the technical button .. it forms the roots of a means of manifesting "programmable matter" which is long overdue for a bit of crazy technological innovation. Every now and then I go through a phase of "catching up with the state of the origami art" and it is always rewarding to see the progress made by academics and scientists alike .. I find Computational Origami utterly fascinating, personally: https://langorigami.com/article/computational-origami/ https://langorigami.com/article/computational-origami/
neonate 4y ago
https://archive.ph/g4ID0 https://archive.ph/g4ID0 http://web.archive.org/web/20230125231813/https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/article/origami-driving-futuristic-technologies-feature http://web.archive.org/web/20230125231813/https://www.nation...
avidiax 4y ago
Paper is effectively dimensionless on one dimension, yet folding allows it to attain that missing dimension. Origami is a kind of alchemy that is underappreciated. We think nothing of a paper shopping bag increasing in volume by 100x with a simple motion.
- mc32 4y ago
  I guess so but there are lots of things in nature we take for granted. It’s not particular to paper topology.
  - monkmartinez 4y ago
    Can you give some examples? I think about puffer fish, tree root systems and mycelium. I would love to read any research into these "nature inspired" topics as they relate to mechanical contraptions that can be repurposed by humans.
totetsu 4y ago
The NASA original printable of the star shade is better. https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/edu/learn/project/space-origami-make-your-own-starshade/ https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/edu/learn/project/space-origami-mak...
- moffkalast 4y ago
  Now that's neat.
- kopos 4y ago
  Thank you, kind stranger
- JKCalhoun 4y ago
  On it... (thanks!)
- turtlebits 4y ago
  Looks very much like an origami "flasher", which doesn't require cutting.
optimalsolver 4y ago
Concept of a giant, origami space telescope using a Fresnel lens: https://langorigami.com/article/eyeglass-telescope/ https://langorigami.com/article/eyeglass-telescope/
p932 4y ago
Briefly mentioned in the article is Erik Demaine (http://erikdemaine.org/ http://erikdemaine.org/). You can find a lot of resources on his website among which lectures on the topic of Origami folding and algorithms. http://courses.csail.mit.edu/6.849/fall20/lectures/ http://courses.csail.mit.edu/6.849/fall20/lectures/
asplake 4y ago
From the same source (and also featured on the BBC’s Winterwatch last night), the folding of earwig wings: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/earwig-origami-wings-how-they-work-insect-flight https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/earwig-or...
JKCalhoun 4y ago
The kayak mentioned in the article was new to me. Very cool. Checking out their site, it appears that, at least one of the kayaks, folds down to roughly 1/6 its "size" (looking at it from above in planform). The bow and stern each fold in toward the center of the kayak — about 1/3 of the way each. Then the whole thing folds in half along the centerline.
- SnooSux 4y ago
  There have been a lot of attempts at foldable kayaks in recent years. From my understanding they are more fragile and don't do as well in shallow waters. Plus they're more expensive than standard ones for obvious reasons. I was looking to buy one but it didn't make sense with where things are at now. But maybe in a couple years when construction and/or cost gets a little better.
  - locopati 4y ago
    I have a Oru tandem folding kayak that can be configured solo. It handles shallows just fine. It might not be as stiff as a hardshell kayak but it can handle not too rough ocean (close to shore... i wouldn't try any big crossing in it because it has no spray skirt). Also it weighs about half as much as a hardshell kayak.
  - monkmartinez 4y ago
    It makes more sense to build one yourself. They are made from corrugated plastic (google term: coroplast) which is very, very easy to work into useable form with basic hand tools. This fella on YT has a great channel to get the basics[1]. When the election was over, I went and collected a bunch of coroplast signs and have since turned them into all manner of things. My DIY ebike battery needed an enclosure as its a giant 13s10p from recycled laptop batteries. I folded up a old sign and used zipties to hold it together. Strapped it to the bike and Bob's your uncle... It works a treat! [1] https://www.youtube.com/@DIYUSA/videos https://www.youtube.com/@DIYUSA/videos
- post_break 4y ago
  They also should be in some hot water for their marketing: https://vimeo.com/690367009?embedded=true&source=video_title&owner=126059733 https://vimeo.com/690367009?embedded=true&source=video_title...
cratermoon 4y ago
The techniques for folding a very large antenna to fit into a small space were (are?) used to launch US intelligence-gathering satellites, like Trumpet[1]. For some examples of how they are folded, see https://spp.fas.org/military/program/sigint/shrouds.htm https://spp.fas.org/military/program/sigint/shrouds.htm 1 https://www.globalsecurity.org/space/systems/trumpet.htm https://www.globalsecurity.org/space/systems/trumpet.htm
patrickwalton 4y ago
The lab I used to work at is deep in origami-inspired engineering: https://www.compliantmechanisms.byu.edu/ https://www.compliantmechanisms.byu.edu/ They have resources for anyone wanting to learn more.
- double0jimb0 4y ago
  Great research and applied work. Overselling these “discoveries” though: https://www.compliantmechanisms.byu.edu/about-developable-mechanisms https://www.compliantmechanisms.byu.edu/about-developable-me... All are parallel 4-bar or spherical 4-bars which have been known for centuries. Getting fancy with the shapes of the “bars” isn’t novel.
cratermoon 4y ago
Heart valve replacement too, https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/transcatheter-aortic-valve-replacement/about/pac-20384698 https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/transcatheter-ao...
p0pcult 4y ago
Serious "Three Body Problem" vibes here. The Chinese-language TV show (available to stream for free on YouTube) is surprisingly faithful to the novel, so far.
ezconnect 4y ago
When will we see origami inspired hands and fingers?

93 points by megamike 4y ago

eggy 4y ago

I have worked on deployable structures of scale using some of the principles of origami. The main obstacle to making successful structures that fold or deploy is that precision is very important, because once you have large joints in different planes things like deflection and fabrication tolerances become critical especially if you want to do more than a single unfold or deployment. A great book by Lang is "Twists Tilings and Tesselations" (2018) that goes over the mathematics of origami and folds. The Hoberman sphere works fine as a small toy, but imagine it built up to a sphere of size not in zero gravity and having to be open and closed several times. Engineering challenges that could lead to some pretty nifty deployable buildings on the Moon, Mars, and elsewhere.

aa-jv 4y ago

Origami is one of those subjects that hits the aesthetic button as well as the technical button .. it forms the roots of a means of manifesting "programmable matter" which is long overdue for a bit of crazy technological innovation. Every now and then I go through a phase of "catching up with the state of the origami art" and it is always rewarding to see the progress made by academics and scientists alike .. I find Computational Origami utterly fascinating, personally: https://langorigami.com/article/computational-origami/ https://langorigami.com/article/computational-origami/

neonate 4y ago

https://archive.ph/g4ID0 https://archive.ph/g4ID0 http://web.archive.org/web/20230125231813/https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/article/origami-driving-futuristic-technologies-feature http://web.archive.org/web/20230125231813/https://www.nation...

avidiax 4y ago

Paper is effectively dimensionless on one dimension, yet folding allows it to attain that missing dimension. Origami is a kind of alchemy that is underappreciated. We think nothing of a paper shopping bag increasing in volume by 100x with a simple motion.

mc32 4y ago
I guess so but there are lots of things in nature we take for granted. It’s not particular to paper topology.
- monkmartinez 4y ago
  Can you give some examples? I think about puffer fish, tree root systems and mycelium. I would love to read any research into these "nature inspired" topics as they relate to mechanical contraptions that can be repurposed by humans.

totetsu 4y ago

The NASA original printable of the star shade is better. https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/edu/learn/project/space-origami-make-your-own-starshade/ https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/edu/learn/project/space-origami-mak...

moffkalast 4y ago
Now that's neat.
kopos 4y ago
Thank you, kind stranger
JKCalhoun 4y ago
On it... (thanks!)
turtlebits 4y ago
Looks very much like an origami "flasher", which doesn't require cutting.

optimalsolver 4y ago

Concept of a giant, origami space telescope using a Fresnel lens: https://langorigami.com/article/eyeglass-telescope/ https://langorigami.com/article/eyeglass-telescope/

p932 4y ago

Briefly mentioned in the article is Erik Demaine (http://erikdemaine.org/ http://erikdemaine.org/). You can find a lot of resources on his website among which lectures on the topic of Origami folding and algorithms. http://courses.csail.mit.edu/6.849/fall20/lectures/ http://courses.csail.mit.edu/6.849/fall20/lectures/

asplake 4y ago

From the same source (and also featured on the BBC’s Winterwatch last night), the folding of earwig wings: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/earwig-origami-wings-how-they-work-insect-flight https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/earwig-or...

JKCalhoun 4y ago

The kayak mentioned in the article was new to me. Very cool. Checking out their site, it appears that, at least one of the kayaks, folds down to roughly 1/6 its "size" (looking at it from above in planform). The bow and stern each fold in toward the center of the kayak — about 1/3 of the way each. Then the whole thing folds in half along the centerline.

SnooSux 4y ago
There have been a lot of attempts at foldable kayaks in recent years. From my understanding they are more fragile and don't do as well in shallow waters. Plus they're more expensive than standard ones for obvious reasons. I was looking to buy one but it didn't make sense with where things are at now. But maybe in a couple years when construction and/or cost gets a little better.
- locopati 4y ago
  I have a Oru tandem folding kayak that can be configured solo. It handles shallows just fine. It might not be as stiff as a hardshell kayak but it can handle not too rough ocean (close to shore... i wouldn't try any big crossing in it because it has no spray skirt). Also it weighs about half as much as a hardshell kayak.
- monkmartinez 4y ago
  It makes more sense to build one yourself. They are made from corrugated plastic (google term: coroplast) which is very, very easy to work into useable form with basic hand tools. This fella on YT has a great channel to get the basics[1]. When the election was over, I went and collected a bunch of coroplast signs and have since turned them into all manner of things. My DIY ebike battery needed an enclosure as its a giant 13s10p from recycled laptop batteries. I folded up a old sign and used zipties to hold it together. Strapped it to the bike and Bob's your uncle... It works a treat! [1] https://www.youtube.com/@DIYUSA/videos https://www.youtube.com/@DIYUSA/videos
post_break 4y ago
They also should be in some hot water for their marketing: https://vimeo.com/690367009?embedded=true&source=video_title&owner=126059733 https://vimeo.com/690367009?embedded=true&source=video_title...

cratermoon 4y ago

The techniques for folding a very large antenna to fit into a small space were (are?) used to launch US intelligence-gathering satellites, like Trumpet[1]. For some examples of how they are folded, see https://spp.fas.org/military/program/sigint/shrouds.htm https://spp.fas.org/military/program/sigint/shrouds.htm 1 https://www.globalsecurity.org/space/systems/trumpet.htm https://www.globalsecurity.org/space/systems/trumpet.htm

patrickwalton 4y ago

The lab I used to work at is deep in origami-inspired engineering: https://www.compliantmechanisms.byu.edu/ https://www.compliantmechanisms.byu.edu/ They have resources for anyone wanting to learn more.

double0jimb0 4y ago
Great research and applied work. Overselling these “discoveries” though: https://www.compliantmechanisms.byu.edu/about-developable-mechanisms https://www.compliantmechanisms.byu.edu/about-developable-me... All are parallel 4-bar or spherical 4-bars which have been known for centuries. Getting fancy with the shapes of the “bars” isn’t novel.

cratermoon 4y ago

Heart valve replacement too, https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/transcatheter-aortic-valve-replacement/about/pac-20384698 https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/transcatheter-ao...

p0pcult 4y ago

Serious "Three Body Problem" vibes here. The Chinese-language TV show (available to stream for free on YouTube) is surprisingly faithful to the novel, so far.

ezconnect 4y ago

When will we see origami inspired hands and fingers?