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29 results for "origami"
Engineers at the University of Illinois just created spacecraft waveguides that fold like paper shopping bags, making satellites lighter and cheaper to launch. The origami-inspired design compresses for liftoff, then expands to full size in space.
A teenager is proving that ancient paper folding can tackle modern challenges. Miles Wu shows how origami creates structures strong enough to hold 10,000 times their own weight.
Engineers just created a soft robot that moves without motors or gears, using only heat and origami-inspired folding patterns. The breakthrough could lead to tiny medical robots that deliver drugs inside the human body.
A rocket just sent eight Japanese satellites to space, including one with an antenna that unfolds like origami to 25 times its original size. This innovative mission shows how space technology is getting smarter and more compact.
Peruvian engineers just solved one of solar energy's biggest challenges: fitting powerful panels into tiny spaces. Their origami-inspired design folds into a suitcase and unfolds with a single motion.
Researchers used a 1,000-year-old paper-folding art to create bladeless wind turbines that look beautiful, run quietly, and work perfectly in crowded urban spaces. Cities could finally tap into clean wind energy without the noise, cost, or eyesore of traditional turbines.
Researchers in Japan have developed origami-inspired packaging that wirelessly detects damage during shipping, no batteries needed. The innovation could transform how we protect everything from fresh produce to fragile goods.
A UK company created a self-watering planter that expands as your plant grows, eliminating the stress of repotting. The Helix has already attracted over 530 backers on Kickstarter.
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A ninth grader from New York spent 250 hours folding paper into patterns strong enough to support the weight of 4,000 elephants. His innovation could transform emergency shelters for disaster survivors.
Scientists just created shapeshifting materials thinner than paper that fold, walk, and sense their own movement, opening doors to gentler medical tools and smarter robots. The breakthrough solves a major challenge that kept similar materials from real-world use.
Scientists created a lightweight ring that lets you actually feel virtual objects while wearing VR headsets. The origami-inspired device weighs less than a penny and could transform gaming, medical training, and rehabilitation.
Scientists at Harvard have created a new DNA origami vaccine that works as well as mRNA shots but doesn't need freezers and is simpler to manufacture. The breakthrough could make life-saving vaccines accessible to millions more people worldwide.
Scientists at MIT and Scripps Research just made a breakthrough that could finally lead to an effective HIV vaccine. Their DNA-based approach generated eight times more of the rare immune cells needed to fight the virus compared to current leading candidates.
On July 31, 1971, astronauts drove a vehicle on another world for the first time, covering over 17 miles of lunar terrain. The moon buggy revolutionized space exploration by letting astronauts venture farther than ever before.
TED partnered with LEGO Group and LEGO Foundation for a groundbreaking event exploring how creative play can build brighter minds and more imaginative futures. The five-hour Play@TED summit featured inventors, athletes, and designers sharing how play transforms lives at every age.
The James Webb Space Telescope, set to launch in 2018, will peer back 13.4 billion years to reveal the first stars ever formed. Nobel laureate John Mather told Congress this $8.8 billion instrument could rewrite our understanding of the cosmos and help find signs of life on distant planets.
Seven aerospace engineering students in Bologna, Italy just built a paper airplane the size of a six-story building, and yes, it actually flies. Their creation, made entirely from paper and glue, soared into the record books with a 65-foot wingspan.
Two American solar companies are teaming up to manufacture groundbreaking hybrid solar panels that generate 30% more power than traditional ones, using entirely U.S.-sourced materials. The partnership plans to produce 3 gigawatts of next-generation solar technology over five years, creating a competitive edge that goes beyond tax incentives.
Volkswagen is developing a revolutionary production process at its German headquarters that could slash manufacturing costs and make electric vehicles affordable for everyone. The automaker is embracing cutting-edge techniques pioneered by competitors to transform how cars are built.
The most powerful space telescope ever built operates a million miles from Earth on the same electricity it takes to boil water. Even more incredible: it had to deploy perfectly the first time, with 344 ways it could have failed.
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