Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 3, 2026
12:33
Origami Inspired Self-assembly of Patterned and Reconfigurable Particles
Published on: February 4, 2013
22.3K
Fluidic origami with embedded pressure dependent multi-stability: a plant inspired innovation
1Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, 2350 Hayward Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA wilsonli@umich.edu.
Journal of the Royal Society, Interface
|September 25, 2015
Summary
This study introduces fluidic origami, a novel concept inspired by plant movements. By controlling internal fluid pressure, these structures exhibit tunable multi-stability and rapid shape changes.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Mechanical Engineering
- Biomimetics
Background:
- Inspired by plant motor cells, this research explores fluid-filled tubular cells.
- Integrates Miura-Ori sheets into a 3D topological system for novel structures.
- Mimics natural distributed, pressurized cellular organization and embedded multi-stability.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigates the physics of fluidic origami for pressure-dependent multi-stability.
- Explores how internal pressure controls folding configurations and stability.
- Aims to develop adaptive materials and structures with plant-like mechanisms.
Main Methods:
- Synthesizes fluid-filled tubular cells using Miura-Ori sheets.
- Strategically controls internal fluid pressures within the cells.
- Analyzes nonlinear relationships between folding, material deformation, and volume change.
Main Results:
- Single fluidic origami cells exhibit bistability due to nonlinear mechanics.
- Integrated cells show emergent multi-stability through cell interactions.
- Fluid pressure precisely controls the number and nature of stable folding states.
Conclusions:
- Fluidic origami can switch between mono-stable, bi-stable, and multi-stable states via pressure control.
- Achieves rapid 'snap-through' shape changes, mimicking plant impulsive movements.
- Offers potential for adaptive materials and new insights into plant cell physiology.
Related Concept Videos
01:12Fluid Pressure over Curved Plate of Constant Width
2.0K
When a curved plate of constant width is submerged in a liquid, the pressure acting normal to the plate varies continuously both in magnitude and direction. Calculating the magnitude and location of the resultant force at a point is often challenging for such cases. One of the methods to determine the resultant force and its location involves separately calculating the horizontal and vertical components of the resultant force. This complex calculation can be simplified by representing the...
2.0K
01:02Fluid Pressure over Flat Plate of Variable Width
2.2K
When a flat plate is submerged in a fluid, the fluid exerts pressure on the plate. This pressure can lead to many different phenomena, including drag and buoyancy. To understand the behavior of the fluid over a flat plate of variable width, it is essential to analyze the distribution of the pressure exerted.
The pressure distribution on the plate can be calculated by determining the force that acts on a differential area strip of the plate. Thus, the magnitude of the force is equal to the...
The pressure distribution on the plate can be calculated by determining the force that acts on a differential area strip of the plate. Thus, the magnitude of the force is equal to the...
2.2K
01:05Fluid Pressure over Flat Plate of Constant Width
2.6K
When a body is submerged in water, it experiences fluid pressure acting normal on its surface and distributed over its area. For better design structures, it is crucial to determine the magnitude and location of the resultant force acting on the surface. In the case of a rectangular plate of constant width submerged in water, the pressure increases with depth, resulting in a linearly varying trapezoidal pressure distribution from the upper to the lower edge of the plate.
The resultant force...
The resultant force...
2.6K
01:11Pressure Variation in a Fluid at Rest
1.0K
In a fluid at rest, the pressure at any point beneath the fluid surface depends solely on the depth, not on the container's shape or size. This principle, known as hydrostatic pressure, arises because, in stationary fluids, there is no acceleration, meaning the forces within the fluid balance out. Only vertical forces, caused by the weight of the fluid above, contribute to pressure changes with depth.
When measuring pressure at two different levels within the fluid, the difference in...
When measuring pressure at two different levels within the fluid, the difference in...
1.0K
01:17Steady, Laminar Flow Between Parallel Plates
1.0K
Understanding steady, laminar flow between parallel plates is essential for analyzing and designing flow in narrow rectangular channels, commonly found in various water conveyance and drainage systems. The Navier-Stokes equations govern fluid motion and are generally challenging to solve due to their nonlinearity. However, simplifications are possible in certain cases, like the steady laminar flow between parallel plates. For this scenario, we assume steady, incompressible, laminar flow.
1.0K
01:14Pressure of Fluids
22.7K
There are many examples of pressure in fluids in everyday life, such as in relation to blood (high or low blood pressure) and in relation to weather (high- and low-pressure weather systems). A given force can have a significantly different effect, depending on the area over which the force is exerted. For instance, a force applied to an area of 1 mm2 has a pressure that is 100 times greater than the same force applied to an area of 1 cm2. That's why a sharp needle is able to poke through...
22.7K