The Art and Science of Origami
Discover how the ancient art of origami integrates with engineering, robotics, and space exploration.
Discover how the ancient art of origami integrates with engineering, robotics, and space exploration.
In this project, students will explore the art of origami, sparking creative design ideas as they embark on a fascinating journey where art meets engineering! Imagine transforming a plain sheet of paper into intricate three-dimensional shapes that can even move with just a few clever folds! Students will learn how to integrate this ancient art form with modern technology, creating foldable structures that evolve from simple geometric shapes into dynamic models.
Throughout this process, students will not only master how to change the shape of materials through folding but also experience how to endow these structures with different functionalities. They will see that this design method has become a core skill in modern engineering and robotics—ranging from foldable satellite antennas used in space exploration to miniature medical devices that can shrink and expand. Origami design plays a crucial role across various fields. Relevant research from this project has been published in top-tier journals such as Science and Nature.
Students will engage in hands-on activities, such as making flutes and artificial vocal cords, exploring the fascinating physics of sound. By using simple materials, they will understand how the sounds of animals in nature are achieved through clever structural design. Additionally, students will experiment with 3D modeling technology to design and refine their creations. This skill will allow them to transform their ideas into tangible models, creating precise sound simulation devices in the virtual world.
Through hands-on creation and iterative experimentation, students will gain a deep understanding of how delicate materials can become smarter and more efficient through structural changes. They will emerge as designers and engineers, experiencing the magical sparks that fly when science and art collide!
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Nanoribbons, Biomimetic Materials & Devices, Smart Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), Soft Robotics, Morphogenesis Mechanics (Embryonic Development, Biofilm Growth), Advanced Materials Engineering, Solid Mechanics
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Dr. Zi Chen is an assistant professor in the Department of Surgery at Brigham and Women's Hospital and a Member of the Faculty at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Chen received his PhD in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Princeton University. Dr. Chen’s research interests range from solid mechanics and material science to biomechanics and mechanobiology, covering such diverse topics as mechanical instabilities of materials, energy harvesting, soft robotics, biomimetic materials/devices, smart personal protection equipment (PPE), nanofabrication (e.g., nanowires, nanoribbons, grapheme sheets), mechanics of morphogenesis in biological systems (embryonic development, biofilm growth, etc.), cell biomechanics (e.g., epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and cancer cell migration), and mechanics of DNA structures. Dr. Chen has been involved in research projects that have collectively been supported by over $17 million in grants with around $3.8 million grants to Dr. Chen’s laboratory from National Institute of Health, National Science Foundation, Office of Naval Research, Society in Science, and Facebook Inc. Dr. Chen has received a number of prestigious awards and honors including Society in Science – Branco Weiss fellowship, International Association of Advanced Materials Innovation Award, Marquis Who’s Who in the World, Outstanding Paper Award at the ASME 2013 2nd Global Congress on Nano Engineering for Medicine and Biology (NEMB), American Academy of Mechanics Founder’s Award, MRS Graduate Student Award Silver Award, etc. He is a founding co-Editor-in-Chief of Journal of Postdoctoral Research, and an editorial board member of Journal of Applied Mechanical Engineering and Journal of Material Science & Engineering.
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