Origami is rapidly emerging in science and engineering applications for use as deployable structures of all scales, but assemblies are often flexible and require bracing or locking mechanisms to achieve the desired stiffness. Evgueni Filipov, his advisor Professor Glaucio H. Paulino at GA Tech, and Professor Tomohiro Tachi of the University of Tokyo developed a unique method of coupling tubes derived from the Miura-ori pattern. Their zipper coupled tubes have a single flexible motion for deployment, but are substantially stiffer for all other deformations such as bending and twisting. The versatility can be used for making various deployable systems such as metamaterials, robotics, aerospace structures, and architecture.
The work was published in PNAS Early Edition on September 8, 2015.
The article was highlighted in a commentary by Reis et al. 2015 in the same edition.
View Paper: Full Text (PDF), Supporting Information (PDF)
Links to Journal: Link to Paper, Link to Supporting Information
This work was selected by the National Academy of Sciences to receive the 2015 Cozzarelli Prize. The paper won the category of “Engineering and Applied Sciences”, and is one of six in PNAS to receive this distinction for 2015. The prize is awarded for outstanding scientific excellence and originality. See the official news release and other media coverage below.
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Media
TV News Coverage
Online News Coverage (English)
- PNAS: “Cozzarelli Prize” on 3/1/2016
- EurekAlert!: “PNAS announces 6 2015 Cozzarelli Prize recipients” on 3/1/2016
- Georgia Tech: “Paulino’s origami research wins award for scientific excellence, originality” on 2/24/2016
- Advanced Textiles: “Paper structures? Origami makes it possible” on 12/18/2015
- ASCE’s Civil Engineering magazine:”Researchers Unfold the Structural Benefits of Origami” November 2015 (pp36)
- Georgia Tech Research Horizons magazine, Issue 3:”Into the fold” 11/30/2015
- The Wall Street Journal:”Notable & Quotable: Origami Engineering” 10/7/2015
- The Sydney Morning Herald, Technology:”How origami inspired engineers to design pop-up bridges, solar arrays and disaster shelters” on 9/17/2015
- Civil + Structural Engineer:”Paper Tubes Make Stiff Origami Structures” on 9/17/2015
- Builder:”How Origami Is Informing Structural Engineering” on 9/17/2015
- Gizmodo Australia:”A New Genre of Super-Strong Origami Is Being Invented By These Engineers” on 9/16/2015
- RT:”100-fold: Origami planes may become reality as new technique makes paper much stronger” on 9/15/2015
- Fast Company: “This Freakishly Strong Origami Can Make Pop-Up Bridges and Buildings” on 9/15/2015
- CITYLAB: “How Origami is Informing Structural Engineering” on 9/15/2015
- Gizmodo: “A New Genre of Super-Strong Origami is Being Invented By These Engineers” on 9/14/2015
- The Naked Scientists: “Origami Structures – the next big thing?” on 9/10/2015
- Discovery News: “Origami Cardboard Could Make Buildings, Furniture, Mini Robots” on 9/9/2015
- Core77: “Researchers Discover New Way to Make Sturdy Structures that Fold Flat” on 9/9/2015
- Daily Mail: “The world’s strongest ORIGAMI: Super-stiff paper tubes make could help make collapsible buildings and robots” on 9/8/2015
- The Engineer: “Origami technique puts new twist on engineered structures” on 9/8/2015
- Tech Times Press Release: “Engineers Use An Origami Technique To Design Strong And Versatile New Structures” on 9/8/2015
- World Industrial Reporter Press Release: “New Zippered Tube Configuration to Increase Strength of Origami Structures” on 9/8/2015
- Kurzweil Accelerating Intelligence Press Release: “I’ve seen the future, and it’s …. paper” on 9/8/2015
- Space Daily: “Paper tubes make stiff origami structures” on 9/8/2015
- PNAS – Early Edition on 9/8/2015
- NSF – News from the Field on 9/7/2015
- Georgia Tech Press Release: “Paper Tubes Make Stiff Origami Structures” on 9/7/2015
- News at Illinois Press Release: “Paper tubes make stiff origami structures” on 9/7/2015
- Motherboard Press Release: “Is This the Strongest Origami in the World?” on 9/7/2015
- Gizmag: “Origami and the art of structural engineering” on 9/7/2015
- Phys.Org Press Release: “Paper tubes make stiff origami structures” on 9/7/2015
- Science Daily Press Release: “Paper tubes make stiff origami structures” on 9/7/2015