Fabrication and Simulation of Functional Electro-Thermal Micro-Origami

Origami inspired assemblages can convert 2D surfaces into 3D structures, which is beneficial for creating small-scale robots. With origami principles, one can first fabricate the micro-scale robots on a flat surface using standard photolithography based methods and then fold these systems into desired 3D configurations. These micro-origami have broad applications as bio-medical grippers, micro-containers, transducers, meta-materials, and more. This presentation will demonstrate a novel eletro-thermal micro-origami system developed by our group. This electro-thermal micro-origami can achieve rapid elastic folding for swift robotic motion and permanent plastic folding for 3D reconfiguration. Moreover, by integrating both elastic folding and plastic folding within the same device, these robots can achieve complex shape-morphing that is beyond the simple fold and unfold motions possible with current micro-origami systems. We also present a simulation platform that can capture the behavior of these micro-origami, allowing for design and optimization of these soft robotic systems.