The cover of the latest issue of PNAS—Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, a very prestigious science journal—features an origami-based robot that resembles a caterpillar, juxtaposed with a real caterpillar. See it here:
https://www.pnas.org/toc/pnas/121/20 The article, by Wu, Zhao, Zhu, and Paulino, is “Modular multi-degree-of-freedom soft origami robots with reprogrammable electrothermal actuation,” which describes a robot based on the origami “Kresling pattern” (also known as the “triangulated cylinder”), which many origami people will recognize from works by Tomoko Fuse, among others, as well as applications in areas ranging from fashion to microwave antennas. It has been the subject of much engineering study by Princeton professor Glaucio Paulino (formerly at Ga. Tech) and his research group for some time. Here’s the article: https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2322625121 Glaucio served a stint at NSF, and while he was there, he instigated and championed the NSF EFRI-ODISSEI program that funded much origami research in science and engineering during 2012–2018. It’s cool stuff. Enjoy! Robert
