Programming Stepwise Motility into a Sheet of Paper Using Inkjet Printing

Abstract

Advances in printing technology and design software have enabled the rapid and convenient replication of entities. Herein, a method that provides motility to a paper through inkjet printing and that makes a paper self‐fold along printed lines is presented. A sequence of self‐folding is successfully programmed by modifying the dynamics of self‐folding. The interaction between printing aqueous solutions and a paper is used to program motion. An extremely simple stepwise self‐folding system is constructed by injecting multiple aqueous solutions into an inkjet printer. A new mechanism is also discussed for the self‐folding of the paper by experimentally varying the concentration of additives. The suggested method enables the fabrication of various structures in addition to activating self‐folded structures. Finally, a fundamental experiment using the proposed method to provide heliotropism to a silicone rod is successfully demonstrated.

Keywords

• hydration phenomena
• material sciences
• paper materials
• self-organization systems
• untethered soft robotics