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Friday, February 24, 2012

Origami Robotics

We examined this idea broadly years ago, could the concept of Orgami be used to deliver certain forms of packaging?  The concept here is very different, but with similar design inspiration:   In IEEE Spectrum:

" ... Harvard University researchers have manufactured beautiful (and superbly functional) air-powered origami robotic actuators out of paper and elastic materials. The team of engineers and chemists built these “soft pneumatic actuators” by combining paper with a silicone elastomer called Ecoflex in a mold and casting a structure that contains a pneumatic network. The process is fast, easy, and inexpensive. When the pneumatic networks are inflated with an external source of air, the elastomer expands, creating an actuator.... " 

1 comment:

Gunther said...

It sure would make manufacturing easier if we could just fold a robot out of a universal PCB :)