That’s a wrap
Students will answer questions about how a cubic metallic robot wraps itself in different exoskeletons to perform different functions.
Educator Guide: Origami Outfits Help Bots Retool
MACHINE METAMORPHOSIS This small robot puts on different origami exoskeletons (from top left, clockwise) so it can walk, glide, roll or sail.
MIT CSAIL
About this guide
The article “Origami outfits help bots retool” describes how a cube-shaped mini-robot can wrap itself in different origami exoskeletons to perform various tasks while being driven by a solenoid. The video "Cube robot is a master of disguise" shows the origami bot in action. In this guide, students can focus on details reported in the article, follow connections to earlier articles about robots and explore cross-curricular connections including the topics of solenoids, polymers, solubility and naturally occurring biological “transformers.” In a related activity, students can make and test magnetic solenoids similar to those that were used to control the robot in this article.
This Guide Includes:
Flexible robots in review
Students will search the Science News archive for earlier articles about transformational robots.
Going beyond the robot
These discussion prompts cover topics related to materials science, magnetism, and biological adaptation and self-assembly.
Solo for solenoid
Students will construct their own simple solenoids and conduct experiments to measure the solenoids' properties.