Curved Origami Sculpture

Demaine’s artwork selected for Smithsonian exhibit

"Natural Cycles," part of a series of curved origami structures created by Erik and Martin Demaine.

For more information on the exhibit, visit http://americanart.si.edu/exhibitions/archive/2012/renwick40/, and for more on the Demaines' artwork, visit http://erikdemaine.org/.

Collected from: Demaine’s artwork selected for Smithsonian exhibit

Curved-Crease Sculpture by Erik and Martin Demaine

Paper folds itself into a natural equilibrium form depending on its creases. These equilibria are poorly understood, especially for curved creases. We are exploring what shapes are possible in this genre of self-folding origami, with applications to deployable structures, manufacturing, and self-assembly. This transformation of flat paper into swirling surfaces creates sculpture that feels alive.

 
Computational Origami (2008)

 

Pushing Curves to the Limit (2009)

Waves in Glass (2010)

Collected from: Curved-Crease Sculpture by Erik and Martin Demaine

YouTube - Curved origami

This is what paper rings do when you impose concentric mountain and valley folds onto them. Inspired by the work of Erik and Marty Demaine.

Collected from: YouTube - Curved origami

Related

• Curved-Crease Sculpture by Erik and Martin Demaine
• History of Curved Origami Sculpture
• The World's Best Photos of curved and origami - Flickr Hive Mind
• Erik Demaine
• Martin Demaine

Solar Panel Origami

clipped from www.psfk.com

3D Origami Solar Panels

A new kind of solar panel design could offer a significant increase in efficiency. A team at MIT is experimenting with a 3D solar panel, which is folded up in an origami-like shape. The theory is that the increased surface area of the panel could absorb much of the light that’s usually reflected off of the flat surface of a standard panel.

clipped from web.mit.edu

Solar power in 3-D

Using a computer program that allows shapes to evolve over time, Jeffrey Grossman and students tested many thousands of shapes to see which would be most efficient at generating electricity. This sequence shows the evolution of one of the more effective theoretical shapes for a solar panel — although, in practice, a much simpler version would be used.

clipped from www.inhabitat.com

GALLERY: Solar Origami: MIT Working on Super Efficient Folded Solar Panels

clipped from www.inhabitat.com

clipped from www.inhabitat.com

clipped from www.inhabitat.com

clipped from www.inhabitat.com

clipped from www.inhabitat.com

Sources:

1. 3D Origami Solar Panels - PSFK
2. Slideshow: Solar power, shaped up
3. http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/brightcovevideos.php?id=76643502001&video_id=167&iframe=true&width=496&height=542
4. Solar Origami: MIT Working on Super Efficient Folded Solar Panels Traditional flat solar panels are optimized only at one point of the sun's trajectory and otherwise need automated tracking systems to follow the sun. – Inhabitat

Related:

1. Solar Origami: MIT Working on Super Efficient Folded Solar Panels What resulted were gorgeous shapes that resemble origami. – Inhabitat
2. Solar Panel Productivity Boosted by Origami | LiveScience
3. | LiveScience
4. Origami-Inspired Folded Solar Panels Could Increase Efficiency
5. High-Tech Glitter to Create Flexible Solar Panels
6. Knowing when to fold

Nano-origami

clipped from www.sciencedaily.com Nano-origami Used To Build Tiny Electronic Devices A team of researchers led by George Barbastathis, associate professor of mechanical engineering, is developing the basic principles of "nano-origami," a new technique that allows engineers to fold nanoscale materials into simple 3-D structures. The tiny folded materials could be used as motors and capacitors, potentially leading to better computer memory storage, faster microprocessors and new nanophotonic devices. clipped from www.youtube.com Nano origami clipped from web.mit.edu clipped from web.mit.edu Nanostructured Origami™ Fabrication and Assembly Process Figure 1 Bridging the gap between nanoscale and macroscale. (a) (b) (c) Figure 2 (a) Planar fabrication. (b) Membrane folding. (c) Completed device. FOLDING METHODS Figure 4: Membrane folding via Lorentz force Figure 5: SEM image of 360o fold. Figure 6: Overhead view of curling. COMPLETED DEVICES Figure 7: Gratings of nanoscale feature size integrated into folding device clipped from meche.mit.edu George Barbastathis

Related:
Nano-origami Used To Build Tiny Electronic Devices
3D Optical Systems Group
Knowing when to fold - MIT News Office
MIT MechE - George Barbastathis
Researchers use nano-origami to build tiny 3D devices - Engadget
Nano-origami - Boing Boing
Nano World: Nano origami supercapacitors
Slashdot | Folding Nanosheets To Build Components

Fold Your Boat -- The Origami Folding Dinghy

A low budged boating solution

clipped from www.woodenwidget.com Origami Folding Dinghy plans are available for the 6 foot (1.8m) and the 8 foot (2.4m) versions. The Origami 6 can carry two adults whilst the Origami 8 can carry three. They both fold to about 4 inches in moments and take up to a 3.3hp outboard motor. They can even be turned into sailing dinghies! clipped from inventorspot.com Floating Origami The Origami Folding Dinghy also has the ability to be converted from a row-boat, to a sailing vessel or an outboard powered vessel. While under sail, the Origami can slip smoothly through the water at about 7 knots. If a motor is more your style, both the 6ft and 8ft models can carry up to a 3.3hp motor. Speeds have been reported up to 15 knots. clipped from www.youtube.com clipped from www.woodenwidget.com