Coupled Leaf-like and Kresling Patterns for Origami-Inspired Soft Continuum Robots

Origami and origami-inspired structures are widely utilized in engineering, and origami patterns—as well as their unique mechanical properties—are growing in variety as a result. Here, we create a novel crease pattern derived from Kresling origami by incorporating the rigid Leaf-like origami as a building block within the non-rigid Kresling origami. The resulting coupled Leaf-like and Kresling origami inherits foldability, multistability, and tunable stiffness, while also exhibiting opposite chirality and multiple degrees of freedom (DOFs). Owing to these mechanical properties and its enhanced flexibility compared to the traditional Kresling origami, the coupled origami is well-suited for applications in soft continuum robotics. To demonstrate its practical potential, two types of tendon-driven soft continuum robots—a manipulative robot and a mobile robot are constructed employing the coupled origami as their main body. Experiments validate the robots’ ability to perform various tasks and motions, including positioning, crawling, turning, and climbing. This study contributes to the advancement of origami design and broadens its applicability in the development of origami-inspired robotic systems.