About

A Common Fold:  Origami From Multiple Perspectives

A team comprising engineers and designers from North Carolina State University, a mathematician from Elon University, and an artist from Meredith College was awarded an EFRI-OIDISSEI research grant from the National Science Foundation. Over a five-year period, they collaboratively explored how two-dimensional materials might self-fold into three-dimensional shapes. This ‘hands-free’ version of origami may be used to design new engineering applications (ranging from electronics to high-volume manufacturing to the delivery of humanitarian relief), design shapes and artistic forms. The concept of folding and the art and math of origami is at the center of this research. Here you can find reflections from the team about their experience cooperating with investigators from other fields and how open collaboration has effected, overlapped and influenced their research.

Support of this project comes from the National Science Foundation EFRI-OIDISSEI Program Grant Emerging Frontiers in Research and Innovation – Origami Design for Integration of Self-Assembling Systems for Engineering Innovation