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CREASE
Harvard Graduate School of Design
In collaboration with Olga Mesa & Saurabh Mhatre
Crease is a part of an ongoing exploration dedicated to the advancement of animated pop-up origami structures. In the context of this research, a bio-inspired robot that emerges from a two-dimensional geometric pattern into its three-dimensional configuration. Exploration focuses on the generation of movement through the magnification of small mechanical motions translated by the rigid geometric body through a series of flexible joints. Amplifying movement through the body geometry, the mechanism achieves complex animation with minimal motorized actuation. Variations in the number, type, position, and action of motors were studied in conjunction with modifying the pattern of folds and method of connection to achieve variation in gait, speed, and direction.
In its three-dimensional configurations, “Crease” has four appendages connected back to a folded polygonal body. The motion of the front leg is synchronized to its back leg which in turn is connected and actuated by either a folded beam attached to a motor or by being directly connected to a servo. Each iteration achieves locomotion but differs in their speed, steering, and gait. As a further exploration, “Crease” was outfitted with a sensing mechanism which was programmed to translate stimuli from the physical environment into directionality enabling the mechanized origami robot not only to locomote but to navigate around obstacles.
PROCESS VIDEO:
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