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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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This content will become publicly available on September 9, 2026
Origami frustration and its influence on energy landscapes of origami assemblies
Harnessing instabilities of multicomponent multistable structural assemblies can potentially lead to scalable and reversible functionalities, which can be enhanced by exploring frustration. For instance, standard Kresling origami cells exhibit nontunable intrinsic energy landscapes determined by their geometry and material properties, limiting their adaptability after fabrication. To overcome this limitation, we introduce frustration to enable fine-tuning of the energy landscape and resulting deformation states. By prestressing the Kresling cell by means of special springs with individual control, we induce either global or localized (i.e., crease level) frustration, which allows changing the energy barrier (cell or assembly). We investigate the mechanical behavior of frustrated Kresling assemblies, both theoretically and experimentally, under various loading and boundary conditions. Our findings reveal that changing the frustration state leads to precise control of folding sequences, enabling previously inaccessible folding paths. The proposed concept paves the way for applications in mechanical metamaterials and other fields requiring highly programmable and reconfigurable systems – e.g., prosthetic limbs.
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- Award ID(s):
- 2323276
- PAR ID:
- 10657150
- Publisher / Repository:
- PNAS
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
- Volume:
- 122
- Issue:
- 36
- ISSN:
- 0027-8424
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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