Skip to main content

Scientists Roll Out Real-Life Transformers Inspired by Origami

I think they're defective. Where's the transforming sound?

Scientists who were unhappy with robots being less than or equal to what meets the eye have created their own robots in disguise. Inspired by origami, the little bots can transform from a flat piece of plastic and a pair of motors into a walking robot with just a bit of heat.

Recommended Videos

The current designs are small, but the technology should eventually be scaled up and applied to different materials to create whatever bigger, more complicated designs we need. Right now, the Harvard and MIT researchers responsible for Origami Prime envision that need as robots that can be deployed through small spaces in rescue situations, so we’ll have to wait a bit for Camaros and 18 wheelers.

The bot in the video above heats its components and transforms automatically as soon as its battery is plugged in, but they could easily be designed to initiate the process on receiving a signal or on specific conditions in their surroundings through built-in sensors. I take it the ones in Michael Bay’s movies were early models tuned to sense terrible scripts.

(via Re/code, featured image via Seth Kroll/Wyss Institute)

Previously in Transformers things

Are you following The Mary Sue on Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, Pinterest, & Google +?

Have a tip we should know? [email protected]

Author
Dan Van Winkle
Dan Van Winkle (he) is an editor and manager who has been working in digital media since 2013, first at now-defunct <em>Geekosystem</em> (RIP), and then at <em>The Mary Sue</em> starting in 2014, specializing in gaming, science, and technology. Outside of his professional experience, he has been active in video game modding and development as a hobby for many years. He lives in North Carolina with Lisa Brown (his wife) and Liz Lemon (their dog), both of whom are the best, and you will regret challenging him at <em>Smash Bros.</em>

Filed Under:

Follow The Mary Sue: