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Yoshimura origami is a classical folding pattern that has inspired many deployable structure designs. Its applications span from space exploration, kinetic architectures and soft robots to even everyday household items. However, despite its wide usage, Yoshimura has been fixated on a set of design constraints to ensure its flat foldability. Through extensive kinematic analysis and prototype tests, this study presents a new Yoshimura that intentionally defies these constraints. Remarkably, one can impart a unique meta-stability by using the Golden Ratio angle ( ${\cot }^{-1}1.618\approx {31.72}^{\circ }$) to define the triangular facets of a generalized Yoshimura (with $n=3$, where $n$is the number of rhombi shapes along its cylindrical circumference). As a result, when its facets are strategically popped out, a ‘Golden Ratio Yoshimura’ boom with $m$modules can be theoretically reconfigured into $8^m$geometrically unique and load-bearing shapes. This result not only challenges the existing design norms but also opens up a new avenue to create deployable and versatile structural systems. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Origami/Kirigami-inspired structures: from fundamentals to applications’. 

This study presents a modular, electronics‐free, and fully onboard control and actuation approach for shape memory alloy (SMA)‐based soft robots to achieve locomotion tasks. This approach exploits the nonlinear mechanics of compliant curved beams and carefully designed mechanical control circuits to create and synchronize rhythmic deformation cycles, mimicking the central pattern generators prevalent in animal locomotions. More specifically, the study elucidates a new strategy to amplify the actuation performance of the shape memory coil actuator by coupling it to a carefully designed, monostable curve beam with a snap‐through buckling behavior. Such SMA‐curved beam assembly is integrated with an entirely mechanical circuit featuring a slider mechanism. This circuit can automatically cut off and supply current to the SMA according to its deformation status, generating a self‐sustained rhythmic deformation cycle using a simple DC power supply. Finally, this study presents a new strategy to coordinate (synchronize) two rhythmic deformation cycles from two robotic modules to achieve efficient crawling locomotion but still use a single DC power. This work represents a significant step toward fully autonomous, electronics‐free SMA‐based locomotion robots with fully onboard actuation and control.