Creation - from a simple sheet of paper
Innumerable variations of shapes can be created with only one sheet of paper. And now, origami, a traditional Japanese art form, is stimulating innovation in science.
Make a valley fold at the blue lines and make a mountain fold at the red lines and…
How to folding a origami craneNHK Educational
New curved origami
3D ORIGAMI can be created simply by folding a sheet of paper. (image @ Jun Mitani)
Pear-shaped origamiNHK Educational
Furthermore, designing patterns on the computer allows them to have round shapes previously thought too difficult to produce.
(Image @ Jun Mitani)
The tradition of origami
Origami is a Japanese tradition. It became widespread among society early in the 17th century, during the Edo era.
Poem Number 84: Monk Shun’e (Hachijyuyon ban Shune Hoshi), from the series “100 Poems by 100 Poets" (“Hyakunin Isshu”)NHK Educational
The crane has been an especially popular pattern to fold since the Edo era, for it is believed to bring good luck.
A Dry-goods Store in Suruga Town (Suruga-cho Echigoya)NHK Educational
WashiNHK Educational
In the Edo era, Washi, traditional Japanese paper made using unique techniques, became widely available throughout the country. The availability of Washi, whose characteristics lies in its long fibers and its toughness, was a major factor in origami's increasing popularity.
Pioneering origami in science
Miura-ori was one of the first Origami methods to be utilized in the latest scientific research.
Miura-oriNHK Educational
An aluminum can that utilizes an origami methodNHK Educational
The repeat pattern that inspired Miura-ori is now being used for aluminum cans.
This engineering increases the strength of the cans, which allows the material to be thinner.
From paper roses to space telescopes
Mathematician Toshikazu Kawasaki created this paper rose by curling paper into spiral shapes based on a geometric pattern.This technique will be applied to the next generation of space telescopes at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. (Courtesy of Toshikazu Kawasaki)
Kawasaki Rose FoldingNHK Educational
Computational origami
Scientists are developing processes to create new structures based on origami principles. This is a diagram created using a computer. But when folded, what does it become?
"Origami Stanford Bunny CP"NHK Educational
Origami models by Dr. Tomohiro TachiNHK Educational
Any object, no matter how complex its shape, can be made from a sheet of paper.
Dividing the surface into triangles and bringing them together enables any concave or convex surface to be recreated.
"Rigid Foldable Table"NHK Educational
This is a desk that can be assembled just by lifting.
(Courtesy of Tomohiro Tachi)
"Rigid Foldable Table"NHK Educational
Deformable Sandwich Panel (Tachi Filipov Paulino, 2015.)NHK Educational
It is now likely that this method will be used in architecture, such as for an arched roof on a temporary building, made from reconfigured flat materials.
Interview of Tomohiro TachiNHK Educational
Origami in the body
Scientists are now finding uses for origami engineering in our bodies too.An innovative study is underway in medicine using origami principles. (Courtesy of Kaori Kuribayashi-Shigetomi)
Cell origamiNHK Educational
The union of art and science makes the possibilities of origami seem limitless.
Supervised by Tomohiro Tachi, Associate Professor, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo
Materials provided by NHK
Cooperated by "SCIENCE ZERO", NHK; NIPPON ORIGAMI ASSOCIATION
