Videos

From Flapping Birds to Space Telescopes: The Math of Origami

Presenter
February 9, 2010
Abstract
The principles of origami, the centuries-old Japanese art of paper-folding, can be used to solve a wide range of folding problems, from how to compress an airbag into a steering wheel to how to design complex folding telescopes. These math-based origami concepts are used in product development, architecture, and designs seen all around us. For example, the University of Minnesota's Weisman Art Museum is an origami-inspired structure. The speaker is an artist and a consultant who applies origami principles to engineering problems.