Bioinspired Origami: Case Studies Using a Keyword Search Algorithm

Abstract

Numerous folding patterns, structures, and behaviors exist in nature that may provide design solutions to engineering problems. While applying biological solutions to engineering design is evidently valuable, the retrieval of useful design inspiration remains a primary challenge preventing the transfer of knowledge from biology to the engineering domain. In prior research, information retrieval techniques are employed to retrieve useful biological design solutions and a text-based search algorithm is developed to return passages where folding in nature is observed. The search algorithm, called FoldSearch, integrates tailored biological keywords and filtering methods to retrieve passages from an extensive biological corpus. The objective of this paper is two-fold — 1) to demonstrate the functionality of FoldSearch, and 2) to create abstract models of the retrieved biological systems from FoldSearch which can be used for the development of novel origami crease patterns and foldable structures. In this paper, the utility of FoldSearch is demonstrated through two case studies where the retrieved biological examples undergo a design abstraction process that leads to the development of bioinspired origami crease patterns and novel foldable structures. The abstraction process is presented as a systematic design methodology for bioinspired origami for the growing research field of origami engineering.