Origami and Kirigami: How Paper Folding and Cutting Have Revolutionized Soft Robotics and What's Beyond

Origami and kirigami, the ancient arts of paper folding and cutting, have inspired groundbreaking innovations in modern robotics, enabling engineers to design systems with unprecedented flexibility, adaptability, and efficiency. By leveraging these techniques, researchers have created innovative robotic systems capable of complex transformations, lightweight structures, and versatile functionalities. These origami- and kirigami-inspired robots can fold, morph, and adapt to a wide range of tasks, from soft robotics and deployable devices to minimally invasive surgery and space exploration. Nevertheless, while significant strides have been made, there remains a compelling need to explore the next frontiers of origami and kirigami in robotics. This workshop seeks to investigate the future potential of these design principles, pushing beyond folding and morphing. We aim to gather leading experts from diverse fields—mechanics, materials science, robotics, and even neuroscience—to discuss the latest advances, identify new challenges, and explore how these techniques can further expand the capabilities of future robotic systems. Our objectives encompass addressing extant challenges, cultivating fresh interest, attracting new participants to the field, and fostering collaborative synergies that will drive the evolution of origami and kirigami robotics.

We are calling for researchers at all career stages to contribute short talks, posters, and live demonstrations at the workshop. Those interested should submit an 1-page abstract with a maximum of one figure as a PDF to [email protected] and [email protected]. The submission deadline is Sunday, March 16th, 2025 (11:59PM, your local time).

Submission details: : A select number of submissions will be chosen to give short lightening talks during the workshop. Other submissions will be accepted to present posters or live demonstrations. We would like to encourage participants to bring their demos if possible! There are two prizes sponsored by Advanced Intelligent Systems and Advanced Robotics Research for the best posters and live demos each.