Model for a Rigid, 3D Mechanism Inspired by Pop-Up Origami, and its Application to a Re-configurable, Physical Environmenl

Abstract

Origami has had wide-ranging application in mechatronics, robotics, design, and aerospace engineering. This paper offers a model for a rigid, three-dimensional mechanism inspired by “pop-up” origami (i.e., kirigami). In pop-up origami, a cut is introduced to the folded sheet to expand formal possibilities. We present vertex and parallel pop-up origami mechanisms, model the former using the Denavit-Hartenberg Convention, and present a case study that we are actively developing that harnesses the capacity of origami to fold and unfold on demand. We explore this case, calculating its actuation forces, while recognizing that the model presented here has potential to generalize widely.