Rigidly foldable origami gadgets and tessellations

Area of Science:

• Mechanical Engineering
• Materials Science
• Computational Geometry

Background:

• Rigidly foldable origami allows for motion exclusively at crease lines, enabling its use in diverse materials beyond paper.
• This property is crucial for developing novel mechanical systems and deployable structures.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify and categorize existing flat-foldable, rigidly foldable tessellations using a novel determination method.
• To introduce new rigidly foldable origami gadgets for modifying and creating tessellations.

Main Methods:

• Application of a recently discovered method for determining rigid foldability.
• Systematic identification and categorization of tessellations exhibiting rigid foldability.
• Design and conceptualization of novel origami gadgets.

Main Results:

• Identification of previously unknown flat-foldable, rigidly foldable tessellations.
• Categorization of these tessellations based on their geometric and folding properties.
• Presentation of new rigidly foldable origami gadgets and their applications in modifying existing tessellations.

Conclusions:

• Rigidly foldable origami offers a versatile platform for mechanical design and material applications.
• The introduced gadgets provide new tools for expanding the repertoire of rigidly foldable tessellations.
• This work advances the understanding and application of rigid origami principles.