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Scientists Discover Way to Send Information into Black Holes Without Using Energy

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This Origami Robot Arm Can Grab Objects, Cook, and Move With Human-Like Flexibility

Robots are becoming more advanced every year, but one of the biggest challenges in robotics is creating machines that are flexible, lightweight, and capable of interacting safely with the real world. Traditional robots are often made from rigid materials like metal and require complex mechanical systems. However, a new generation of soft robots inspired by nature and simple folding techniques is changing the future of robotics.

Researchers are now using the ancient art of origami to design robotic systems that can bend, twist, and move with remarkable flexibility. Origami-based robots use folded structures to create movement without relying on heavy mechanical parts. These designs are lightweight, adaptable, and can be manufactured in modular forms, making them highly promising for future robotic applications.

A recent study led by Immanuel Ampomah Mensah and his team has introduced a new approach to origami robotics. Instead of creating robots from simple stacked origami structures, the researchers developed a more complex robotic arm using multiple arrangements of the Kresling origami pattern. Their work demonstrates how origami structures can be combined to create advanced robotic movements similar to human joints.

From Paper Folding to Advanced Robotic Movement

The Kresling pattern is a special type of origami structure known for its ability to twist, compress, and expand. These properties make it useful for building robotic components that can act like flexible joints.

In most soft origami robots developed so far, the structures are usually arranged in a single straight stack. While these designs are useful, they limit the types of movements the robot can perform. Mensah and his team explored a different idea: arranging Kresling structures in multiple configurations to create robotic joints with more freedom of movement.

By combining these origami-based joints, the researchers created a robotic arm capable of performing different types of motions. The arm has four degrees of freedom: three rotational movements and one translational movement. This means the robot can rotate in different directions and also move along a straight path, giving it much greater flexibility compared to traditional origami robots.

A Lightweight Robot With Powerful Abilities

One of the biggest advantages of this origami robotic arm is its combination of strength and flexibility. Soft robots are generally safer around humans because their flexible bodies reduce the risk of causing damage during interaction.

The researchers tested the robotic arm using feedback control systems, allowing it to adjust its movements and improve accuracy. During experiments, the robot achieved less than 5 millimeters of error while following two-dimensional paths. For more complex three-dimensional movements, the error remained below 10 millimeters.

These results show that origami-based robots can achieve precise control despite their soft and flexible structure. This is a major step forward because controlling soft robots has always been difficult due to their unpredictable movements compared with rigid machines.

A Robot That Can Perform Everyday Tasks

To demonstrate the practical potential of their design, the researchers tested the robotic arm on everyday tasks. The robot successfully gripped and manipulated objects, including whiteboard markers and different tools.

The arm was able to handle objects weighing up to 680 grams, proving that its lightweight structure does not prevent it from performing useful tasks. Unlike many experimental soft robots that only demonstrate simple movements, this origami-based arm showed the ability to interact with real objects.

The researchers also demonstrated the robot’s rotational capabilities by completing two cooking-related tasks. These experiments showed that the arm could perform controlled movements similar to those required in household environments.

This ability opens the possibility of using soft origami robots in areas such as assistive robotics, healthcare, manufacturing, and home automation.

Why Origami Could Transform Robotics

The success of this robotic arm highlights why origami-inspired designs are attracting so much attention. Origami structures can provide complex movements using simple materials and designs. They can also be produced in modular forms, meaning individual parts can be replaced, improved, or rearranged easily.

Unlike traditional robotic systems that require many complicated mechanical components, origami robots can achieve movement through carefully designed folding patterns. This makes them potentially cheaper, lighter, and easier to manufacture.

In the future, these robots could become useful in environments where flexibility and safety are essential. For example, medical robots could use soft origami structures to move safely inside the human body, while household robots could perform tasks around people without the danger associated with rigid machines.

The Future of Soft Origami Robotics

Although this technology is still developing, the new origami robotic arm represents an important milestone. It shows that simple geometric designs inspired by paper folding can create highly capable machines with advanced movement and control.

The combination of flexibility, precision, and modularity makes origami robotics one of the most exciting areas in modern engineering. As researchers continue improving these designs, future robots may become lighter, smarter, and more natural in the way they interact with humans.

What started as a centuries-old art form could become a key technology shaping the next generation of robots — machines that are not only powerful but also adaptable, safe, and capable of working alongside humans in everyday life.

Reference: Ampomah Mensah, I., Lewis, O., Allen, J. et al. A 3D-printed, multi-degree of freedom soft origami robot arm. npj Robot (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s44182-026-00103-1

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