MIT’s aeroMorph is paper, plastic and fabric self-folding origami

MIT’s tangible media group presents ‘aeroMorph, the programmable paper, plastic, and fabric self-folding origami-like inflatable structures. the project showcases a design, simulation, and fabrication pipeline for making transforming objects. in most cases, inflatable structures would have an empty core, and upon filling with fluids they expand revealing their form. with ‘aeroMorph’, the structure of the material can transform so it is effectively self-building, creating the mysterious illusion that it is under a sorcerer’s spell. ‘aeroForm’ has a lot of untapped potential in the design of interactive wearables technology, children’s toys, and furniture.

all images © tangible media group / MIT media lab

MIT’s tangible media group‘s ‘aeroMorph’ works with a software tool that can generate bending mechanisms for a specific geometries, simulating its transformation, and exporting the compound geometry as digital fabrication files. the group has a range of fabrication methods from manual sealing, to heat pressing with custom stencils, and a custom heat-sealing head that can be mounted on usual 3-axis CNC machines to precisely fabricate the designed transforming material.