By Udit Chaudhuri
Progress in the materials sciences sees attempts to ‘design’ molecular
patterns and thus micro-sized forms. However, there are limitations that hold
up scaling this up to visible objects of our daily use. I am referring to the
Buckliball-inspired experiment at Harvard and MIT.
Information Courtesy:
Photograph courtesy: Jongmin Shim, Katia Bertoldi and Pedro Reis |
A building with
collapsible walls and roofs, an arm with smooth, seamless joints like a green
branch instead of mechanical pairs, a micro-sized drug delivery system digging
into a specific gland or a ‘paste’ that forms into a defined shape may well
become a reality quite soon!
Progress in the materials sciences sees attempts to ‘design’ molecular
patterns and thus micro-sized forms. However, there are limitations that hold
up scaling this up to visible objects of our daily use. I am referring to the
Buckliball-inspired experiment at Harvard and MIT.
A team of scientists at
MIT and Harvard led by Katia Bertoldi, Assistant Professor in Applied Mechanics
at Harvard; and Pedro Reis, the Esther and Harold E. Edgerton, Assistant
Professors of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Mechanical Engineering at
MIT wrote about this work now published in Proceedings of the National
Academy of Sciences. Inspired by the Buckliball, a toy ball made of complex
hinged joints that folded this ball into becoming a smaller one, the team ‘constructed’
a soft rubber ball. Inter-molecular air sucked out of it, saw the ball form
dimples and churn itself akin to the Buckliball into a smaller shrivelled ball,
in an orderly way.
In origami, it has been
possible to turn and collapse cubes and polygonal prisms by valley-folding
their faces diagonally and twisting them into becoming compact paper springs.
This experiment now makes for such “Buckligami” behaviour. It will be possible
to build structures of molecules or compounds, albeit presently in soft
materials, that will collapse in an orderly way under pressure and then build
back to their original form when such pressure reverses. Practical applications
could extend to include robotic skins and fibres, collapsible roofs and walls,
controlled bending of beams or paste morphing back to an original shape on
being released from a vacuumed dispenser as well as specialised drug delivery
systems.
The Buckliball
Video: Lucy Lindsey/Melanie Gonick; footage courtesy of Jongmin Shim, Katia Bertoldi and Pedro Reis
Video: Lucy Lindsey/Melanie Gonick; footage courtesy of Jongmin Shim, Katia Bertoldi and Pedro Reis
Information Courtesy:
1.
Denise Brehm, Civil
and Environmental Engineering Dept, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA.
2. Caroline Perry, Harvard School of Engineering
and Applied Science, Harvard University, USA.
I think there are designs for modern space satellites that are based on the principles of origami which allows them to collapse for transport in to space.
ReplyDeleteThe potential for applications in buildings is something I would like to hear more about...
Posted by Adam Mottershead on Linkedin Group: London Architecture Network in response to IAnD's discussion thread:How far can design explore the practical applications of origami? Can you think of some inspired applications or would you have any suggestions?
It is possible. I think the opportunities in building construction will be more towards the internal fixtures and fittings (eg. foldaway beds, tables etc.) rather then the entire structure. It might be solution in small modular housing, especially in high risk natural disaster areas, where a foldaway sytem will be ideal in minimising infrastructure damage.
ReplyDeletePosted by Anup Magan on Linkedin Group: London Architecture Network in response to IAnD's discussion thread:How far can design explore the practical applications of origami? Can you think of some inspired applications or would you have any suggestions?
Perhaps the various applications of textiles could achieve foldable and moveable results. One could not only look at origami but at sails and sailing boats where big sails are constantly reeved, folded, unfolded and oriented towards the wind. The beauty is that they combine very old knowledge with the newest materials.
ReplyDeletePosted by Catja de Haas on Linkedin Group: London Architecture Network in response to IAnD's discussion thread:How far can design explore the practical applications of origami? Can you think of some inspired applications or would you have any suggestions?
There are several examples of practical applications of origami, from full buildings to lamps.
ReplyDeleteI have been trying to figure out how to combine origami and concrete into wall covering....Origami-Crete! What do you think of my experiment so far?.... http://newboldstone.com/Blog/
Posted by John Newbold on Linkedin Group: Design & Architecture in response to IAnD's discussion thread:How far can design explore the practical applications of origami? Can you think of some inspired applications or would you have any suggestions?
Moroso Italian furniture company has experimented with origami flower forms in a series called Antibodi.Great materials and well exetuted designs as always.
ReplyDeletePosted by Afroditi Tsoukala on Linkedin Group: Design & Architecture in response to IAnD's discussion thread:How far can design explore the practical applications of origami? Can you think of some inspired applications or would you have any suggestions?