What is it about?
The properties of origami sheets are controlled by the geometric pattern of their creases, which can enable unusual features. We use analytical calculations to explain why broad classes of origami sheets expand and contract in a manner opposite to all conventional sheets of materials such as rubber.
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Why is it important?
Origami provides a profound way to control the properties of materials, but the connection between the crease pattern and these properties is difficult to discern. We introduce a new way to characterize these properties that elucidates the role of the geometry (in particular, geometric symmetries), thereby revealing the minimal ingredients required to achieve unconventional response.
Perspectives
In this article, we looked at origami sheets by focusing on their general fundamental symmetries rather than their specific structures, the same approach that physicists have used to elucidate superconductors and fundamental particles. We were rewarded with fundamental connections between seemingly distinct ways of reshaping the origami, establishing the sheets as a new class distinct from conventional materials. We hope our new approach will inspire the community to draw new connections and explore the interconnected concepts of structures and materials resulting from origami assemblages.
James McInerney
University of Michigan
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Discrete symmetries control geometric mechanics in parallelogram-based origami, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, August 2022, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences,
DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2202777119.
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