Origami... in spaaaaace: Inflatable folded objects discovery brings new meaning to blowing up buildings

An applied maths professor and her team have dreamed up inflatable origami structures they say could save time and energy in erecting emergency shelters, such as those vital to refugee camps. Taking inspiration from the ancient Japanese paper-folding art, the team have designed and produced a structure that expands from a flat …

[Anonymous Coward]

Innovation?

Apart from the fact that it may return to its original packed shape by itself, this has little advantage over the blow up tents and awnings that I have owned for years in the UK and seen in use across Europe.

The addition of 3 bungie cords has made my large motorhome awning self packing (to a large extent) when the valves in the inflation tubes are undone (and to a much greater extent if the pump is attached and used in the vacuum mode. To the point that I can drop the carry bag over the top, roll the whole thing through 180degrees, do the zip up and carry it away.)

Putting that awning up by myself takes 10 minutes (mostly getting it in the correct place WRT to motorhome) and taking down again under 5 minutes (mostly getting the air out of the air beams).

[Tom 7]

Re: Innovation?

I think you missed the bit about them being rigid and bistable! If you punscture the inflation tubes it doesnt collapse.

Annoyed because I've been trying do do something with inflatable foam that goes rigid when it sets - this leapfrogs that to some degree - I'd like to see an geodesic greenhouse that comes in a suitcase though!

[Giles C]

Re: Innovation?

I agree the fact this doesn’t need a contact inflation source and remains stable is the big advantage of the system. Yes they might need ground anchors (or a weight in the bottom) to stop them blowing away but compared to putting a tent up it is quick and easy to do and looks like a sturdy solution.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Innovation?

Air beams in inflatable tents etc rely on air pressure for rigidity. This innovation gets its rigidity from the material itself, and the origami makes it stable in 2 positions - folded or deployed, not something in between.

It works with ambient pressure inside, and the video even shows examples with doors so you can open it up and walk in. That's a massive difference to (and advantage over) air beam construction.

[JimmyPage]

Mythbusters - lead balloon

Adam Savage had to devise a way to create a structure that could be made flat and then inflated (with helium) to shape.

About 10 years ago.

Exactly the same principle as this. Only it was lead foil.

[Eclectic Man]

Flexibility

The requirement for flexible hinges must mean that the panels also must be somewhat flexible in order to transition between stable states. Not sure I'd want to be in one in a high wind, without additional stabilisation.

However, very interesting research, I wonder whether they need the air pump to put them up, could people just pull or push them into shape instead?

[Anonymous Coward]

Star Trek

In the "Planet of Judgement" a similar idea is described for emergency use on a hostile planet.

[Joe Dietz]

Cover story of Popular Science material for sure....

Various proposed applications almost 100% of the time mean... its a really cool thing, but utterly useless.

My list:

1) Emergency <*>... if its an emergency you probably don't have one of <whatever> and are just going to cobble something together with what you have...

2) Useful in space! Um, sure, soon as we actually get there, let me know and I'll send you one of <whatever>

3) Third-world medicine. Great! Yup, poor people deserve substandard stuff right?

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Cover story of Popular Science material for sure....

> 1) Emergency <*>... if its an emergency you probably don't have one of <whatever> and are just going to cobble something together with what you have...

For the first few days, maybe a week or two. But then, you hope, the Red Cross arrive with tents on trucks. And super compact origami shelters means the same number of shelters fits on fewer trucks so the crisis managers don't have to make hard decisions like whether to put tents or food onto the trucks.

[Joe Dietz]

Re: Cover story of Popular Science material for sure....

In my part of the world, the type of emergencies we expect involve all of the bridges falling down. Even if you could fly stuff in... still need bridges. There won't be any red cross showing up for a very very long time. Local authorities are being fairly honest - you will be on your own. Be cool with your neighbors and work together, don't expect help.

[FuzzyTheBear]

Re: Cover story of Popular Science material for sure....

Watch for origami bridges at a hardware store near you very very soon :)

[Kibble 2]

Re: Cover story of Popular Science material for sure....

I dunno, but I can see where a product such as this might be useful for military applications where there are a lot of refugees need to be moved out of the combat theatre. Then it also could be used on a country's borders for housing large numbers of migrants e.g., just inside Mexico and the US border areas.

[Blackjack]

So... I am the only one thinking this would be great a a Minecraft mod?

[Spherical Cow]

Triangles in Minecraft?? Heresy!

[David 132]

Take THAT, planning departments

"Moreover, the reduction of gravitational force — and the absence of building regulations — in space would also facilitate the use of the new origami technology,"

So your neighbours CAN build that 3-story extension that blocks out your light and turns your back garden into a gloomy prison yard...

...as long as they do it in outer space.

What a loophole in the planning laws!

[John Jennings]

I could see a use for this

As a life raft.

One of the problem with life rafts is that they can puncture - easily - the seams have also been know to rot out from UV damage in tropical cases.

A second is their wndage/boyancy - they need a sea drouge (usually hangs out below) and are un paddleable.

The kit could inflate (once) and have components inside to 'lock' open to make it semi-perminant.

It could also be 'Boaty' in shape - enableing oars or even sails.

It could be inflated by the same method as demonstrated - even flotation tanks.

[gratou]

Re: I could see a use for this

Great idea. Inflation would surely come from a compressed air cartridge.

[John Jennings]

Re: I could see a use for this

Yup - though I the cartridges used for traditional inflatables are CO2 as you get more gas for less volume (solid phase change).

I am on my way to the patent office :) Exit Strategy!

[ThatOne]

Re: I could see a use for this

> the seams have also been know to rot out from UV damage

That's true, but I guess you'll starve to death long before your life raft starts falling apart due to UV damage. (Before use they are stored in a container)

.

> It could also be 'Boaty' in shape - enableing oars or even sails.

You can easily make boat-shaped inflatable vessels, the point of life rafts being circular is stability: You don't want to be in heavy seas with two dozen panicky landlubbers in anything else than the shape less likely to turn over. Besides, most of the time you'd be way too far away from land to paddle, your only hope is to stay where the rescuers might find you.

[lnLog]

not a patch on concrete canvas

Not a patch on the durability of concrete canvas shelters, They could team up and devise the geometry for a new product.

https://www.concretecanvas.com/cc-shelters/

[John Brown (no body)]

Re: not a patch on concrete canvas

Yes, for durability. But those inflatable concrete shelters are "use once", ie you can't pack them up and take them away ready for the next emergency deployment. Also, they are heavy and require quite a bit of water to set them up, which might be an issue in some deployment areas.

This new origami idea is to deploy many lightweight instant shelters as quickly as possible. The inflatable concrete shelters could then be deployed later for extended usage if the situation demands. As someone mentioned further up, deploying many lightweight, flatpacked shelters on fewer trucks or aircraft allows the aid agencies to send more food and other supplies at the point of most urgent need.

[steelpillow]

Blimps anybody?

Collapsible non-rigid airships and balloons have a history going back well over a century, and they didn't need frames or bouncy-castle blowers, either. "Igloo" style tents with springy poles that hold them in shape have been around at least since the 1960s, as have SF stories about inflatable space stations. Such emergency shelters and space stations infested the walls of the "crit room" when I studied architecture in the 1970s. Heck, even Francis Rogallo held his patented space re-entry delta wing in shape with inflatable structures!

Why do so many people today imagine that they are the first to think of the bleedin' obvious?

The only story here is that somebody in the USA has come up with a form of words that isn't yet described on Google Patents.

[Jimmy2Cows]

Re: "Igloo" style tents with springy poles that hold them in shape

This is bimodal rigidity without the need to insert / remove poles, springy or otherwise.

[John Brown (no body)]

Re: Blimps anybody?

"Why do so many people today imagine that they are the first to think of the bleedin' obvious?"

Has your blimp got a door to allow people to get in and out so they can use it as, you know, a shelter and living space? Or would it collapse every time you opened the door?

[Pete 2]

One gust of wind

> Several issues will need to be addressed before the structures can be used at large scales on Earth

Not the least of which is how to keep these large and light weight structures attached to the ground.

[ThatOne]

Re: One gust of wind

> how to keep these large and light weight structures attached to the ground

I guess that wouldn't be much different from traditional tents. Same solutions apply.

[hayzoos]

Vogons may have something to say about that

"Moreover, the reduction of gravitational force — and the absence of building regulations — in space would also facilitate the use of the new origami technology," Adriaenssens opined."

I expect they would be visited by a Vogon code enforcement officer. Oh the paperwork required. Origami without a permit, Building without a permit, Inflating without a permit ... So much poetry, so little time.