Introduction to origami folding, design, and analysis

Abstract

The mathematics of folding origami is relevant in the design of solar sails and airbags, to heart stents and proteins. This workshop is designed to be a crash course introduction to folding, designing, and analyzing representational origami. First, a brief overview of the history of origami will be presented, including its transition from a static, ceremonial tradition to a dynamic, artistic engineering science. Second, the tree theory method of representational origami design with respect to uniaxial bases will be introduced. Lastly, participants will be encouraged to design and explore folding mechanisms that can interface with flexible circuit materials and components.