
Origami robots: the future of the flat-pack?
Self-assembling shelves, coffee tables morphing into bedside cabinets – the future might build itself...
While the Transformers have dazzled young and old across decades with their shape-shifting abilities, real-life robots have so far been unable to master the art of self-assembly – up until now, that is. Scientists in the US have built a robot that's capable of morphing from a flat sheet into an origami-like structure in a matter of minutes.
To build the robot, the team, from Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, layered together paper, copper and a special 'shape-memory' polymer that's able to change form when heated. A laser was used to cut the materials into a specific pattern set out by origami design software, ensuring that the robot flexed in all the right places. Heat-generating circuits could then trigger parts of the polymer to fold and act as hinges.
Follow Science Focus on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Flipboard
Sponsored Deals

May Half Price Sale
- Save up to 52% when you subscribe to BBC Science Focus Magazine.
- Risk - free offer! Cancel at any time when you subscribe via Direct Debit.
- FREE UK delivery.
- Stay up to date with the latest developments in the worlds of science and technology.