Origami, a familiar art form to Japanese people, may offer new possibilities in structural engineering. Three researchers—Illinois graduate student Evgueni Filipov, Georgia Tech professor Glaucio Paulino, and University of Tokyo assistant professor Tomohiro Tate—are conducting research focused on origami's flexibility and wide range of applications.

Their research aims to assemble origami into flexible structures. They glue two strips of paper together using the "Miura fold" technique, also known as the map folding method, to create a cylindrical structure. After extensive trial and error, this zipper-shaped cylindrical structure proved to be the strongest and least prone to twisting or bending. Using this method, the structure can be folded flat and quickly and easily unfolded into a cylindrical shape.

Although this research was originally conducted for space development, it has now become clear that it could potentially be used for a wider range of applications. By using thin materials such as plastic and steel, the flexibility and strength of this origami can be utilized in furniture, buildings, and robots. It can also be used in disaster infrastructure such as emergency shelters and bridges. Being able to assemble quickly when needed is an important factor in emergencies.

The research team's next goal is to create new structures by combining cylindrical origami that can bend at different angles. They aim to be able to create everything from huge buildings to tiny structures using a variety of materials. The more you think about it, the more ideas you'll come up with, and the possibilities seem endless.

Please also check out the video to see cylindrical origami in action.

*This article has been translated and written with permission from (Source: http://illinois.edu/).