UCLA researchers have come up with a method to create foldable origami robots that can evaluate and respond to their environment. Previously, roboticists mainly made only the bodies of these robots by using origami folding methods and then added materials such as silicon-based computer chips for advanced functions, said Wenzhong Yan, a doctoral student in mechanical engineering and lead author of the paper. Read more...

Photo: One of the researchers’ origami robots is pictured. The researchers created robots from materials that allow for a similar range of motion to humans. (Courtesy of Wenzhong Yan)