Origami-inspired robot can fold itself and walk away in less than 5 minutes

Origami-inspired robot can fold itself and walk away in less than 5 minutes
(Image credit: Twitter.com/DiscoverMag)

Researchers at MIT and Harvard's Wyss Institute and School of Engineering and Applied Science have created a crawling robot that is able to fold itself, which the analysts say demonstrates the potential for self-folding machines and independent assembly.

As CNET reports, there have been other origami robots made, but this is the first that can put itself together and move without the help of a human. These autonomous robots could soon be dropped into tunnels or other places where it's difficult to send a person, and assemble themselves.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up
To continue reading this article...
Continue reading this article and get limited website access each month.
Get unlimited website access, exclusive newsletters plus much more.
Cancel or pause at any time.
Already a subscriber to The Week?
Not sure which email you used for your subscription? Contact us
Catherine Garcia, The Week US

Catherine Garcia is night editor for TheWeek.com. Her writing and reporting has appeared in Entertainment Weekly and EW.com, The New York Times, The Book of Jezebel, and other publications. A Southern California native, Catherine is a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.