Integration of Origami Twisted Tower to Soft Mechanism Through Rapid Fabrication Process

Mikiya Kusunoki, Linh Viet Nguyen, Hsin-Ruey Tsai, Van Anh Ho, Haoran Xie

Abstract: Origami structures have been widely integrated in various applications in soft robotics, especially origami twisted tower with continuum mechanisms. However, it is difficult and time-consuming to integrate them into existing structures, since the fabrication processes were conducted either manual folding or 3D printing. To address this issue, we propose a rapid fabrication approach for the origami twisted tower as soft mechanisms with design interface and laser cutting. Following the crease patterns of the fabricated diagram, we verified the origami material and layers with evaluation experiments and found polypropylene as the most suitable material and stiffness for potential applications of the origami structures.