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1. DNA origami tubes with reconfigurable cross-sections

   https://doi.org/10.1039/D2NR05416G  

   Kucinic, Anjelica; Huang, Chao-Min; Wang, Jingyuan; Su, Hai-Jun; Castro, Carlos E. (January 2023, Nanoscale)

   Structural DNA nanotechnology has enabled the design and construction of complex nanoscale structures with precise geometry and programmable dynamic and mechanical properties. Recent efforts have led to major advances in the capacity to actuate shape changes of DNA origami devices and incorporate DNA origami into larger assemblies, which open the prospect of using DNA to design shape-morphing assemblies as components of micro-scale reconfigurable or sensing materials. Indeed, a few studies have constructed higher order assemblies with reconfigurable devices; however, these demonstrations have utilized structures with relatively simple motion, primarily hinges that open and close. To advance the shape changing capabilities of DNA origami assemblies, we developed a multi-component DNA origami 6-bar mechanism that can be reconfigured into various shapes and can be incorporated into larger assemblies while maintaining capabilities for a variety of shape transformations. We demonstrate the folding of the 6-bar mechanism into four different shapes and demonstrate multiple transitions between these shapes. We also studied the shape preferences of the 6-bar mechanism in competitive folding reactions to gain insight into the relative free energies of the shapes. Furthermore, we polymerized the 6-bar mechanism into tubes with various cross-sections, defined by the shape of the individual mechanism, and we demonstrate the ability to change the shape of the tube cross-section. This expansion of current single-device reconfiguration to higher order scales provides a foundation for nano to micron scale DNA nanotechnology applications such as biosensing or materials with tunable properties. 

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2. Untethered control of functional origami microrobots with distributed actuation

   https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2013292117  

   Novelino, Larissa S.; Ze, Qiji; Wu, Shuai; Paulino, Glaucio H.; Zhao, Ruike (September 2020, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences)

   null (Ed.)

   Deployability, multifunctionality, and tunability are features that can be explored in the design space of origami engineering solutions. These features arise from the shape-changing capabilities of origami assemblies, which require effective actuation for full functionality. Current actuation strategies rely on either slow or tethered or bulky actuators (or a combination). To broaden applications of origami designs, we introduce an origami system with magnetic control. We couple the geometrical and mechanical properties of the bistable Kresling pattern with a magnetically responsive material to achieve untethered and local/distributed actuation with controllable speed, which can be as fast as a tenth of a second with instantaneous shape locking. We show how this strategy facilitates multimodal actuation of the multicell assemblies, in which any unit cell can be independently folded and deployed, allowing for on-the-fly programmability. In addition, we demonstrate how the Kresling assembly can serve as a basis for tunable physical properties and for digital computing. The magnetic origami systems are applicable to origami-inspired robots, morphing structures and devices, metamaterials, and multifunctional devices with multiphysics responses. 

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3. Multistable thin-shell metastructures for multiresponsive reconfigurable metabots

   https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.adx4359  

   Zhou, Caizhi; Qing, Haitao; Sun, Haoze; Qi, Fangjie; Hong, Yaoye; Yin, Jie (October 2025, Science Advances)

   Multistable metastructures can switch between multiple stable configurations without requiring locking forces. However, their potential for creating reconfigurable robots—metabots—capable of adapting to changing environments remains largely unexplored. Here, we report harnessing developable surface–based multistable thin-shell metastructures with high reconfigurability for adaptive manipulation and locomotion. These multistable metastructures are constructed by cutting and bonding thin polymer sheets with patterned cutouts, enabling programmable prestored elastic energy. A single unit achieves up to 20 stable configurations, while a four-unit assembly yields 256 reconfigured states, through simple folding of dynamic virtual creases. When integrated with thin sheet–based, multiresponsive soft actuators, these metastructures become highly adaptive metabots, including universal, noninvasive bistable soft grippers; magnetic multigait jumpers; and dual-responsive crawlers powered by magnetic and electroactive actuation. These systems exhibit high adaptability and maneuverability, capable of navigating complex terrains and confined environments via on-demand shape transformations, paving the way for energy-efficient, reconfigurable soft robotic platforms. 

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4. Harnessing interpretable machine learning for holistic inverse design of origami

   https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-23875-6  

   Zhu, Yi; Filipov, Evgueni T. (December 2022, Scientific Reports)

   Abstract This work harnesses interpretable machine learning methods to address the challenging inverse design problem of origami-inspired systems. We established a work flow based on decision tree-random forest method to fit origami databases, containing both design features and functional performance, and to generate human-understandable decision rules for the inverse design of functional origami. First, the tree method is unique because it can handle complex interactions between categorical features and continuous features, allowing it to compare different origami patterns for a design. Second, this interpretable method can tackle multi-objective problems for designing functional origami with multiple and multi-physical performance targets. Finally, the method can extend existing shape-fitting algorithms for origami to consider non-geometrical performance. The proposed framework enables holistic inverse design of origami, considering both shape and function, to build novel reconfigurable structures for various applications such as metamaterials, deployable structures, soft robots, biomedical devices, and many more. 

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5. Origami With Rotational Symmetry: A Review on Their Mechanics and Design

   https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4056637  

   Lu, Lu; Leanza, Sophie; Zhao, Ruike Renee (September 2023, Applied Mechanics Reviews)

   Abstract Origami has emerged as a powerful mechanism for designing functional foldable and deployable structures. Among various origami patterns, a large class of origami exhibits rotational symmetry, which possesses the advantages of elegant geometric shapes, axisymmetric contraction/expansion, and omnidirectional deployability, etc. Due to these merits, origami with rotational symmetry has found widespread applications in various engineering fields such as foldable emergency shelters, deformable wheels, deployable medical stents, and deployable solar panels. To guide the rational design of origami-based deployable structures and functional devices, numerous works in recent years have been devoted to understanding the geometric designs and mechanical behaviors of rotationally symmetric origami. In this review, we classify origami structures with rotational symmetry into three categories according to the dimensional transitions between their deployed and folded states as three-dimensional to three-dimensional, three-dimensional to two-dimensional, and two-dimensional to two-dimensional. Based on these three categories, we systematically review the geometric designs of their origami patterns and the mechanical behaviors during their folding motions. We summarize the existing theories and numerical methods for analyzing and designing these origami structures. Also, potential directions and future challenges of rotationally symmetric origami mechanics and applications are discussed. This review can provide guidelines for origami with rotational symmetry to achieve more functional applications across a wide range of length scales. 

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