Origami

If you want a kayak (that isn't inflatable), you typically also need a car with a suitable roof rack. German product designer Daniel Schult has come with an alternative, however, in the form of a folding kayak that can be carried like a backpack.

Scientists working in the field of microbots have taken inspiration from origami to produce what they say are first-of-a-kind machines, which can fold into different shapes to take on different tasks through the application of heat.

Danish design duo Sebastian Aristotelis and Karl-Johan Sørensen have been busy developing a self-expanding lunar module, which they plan on putting to the test in the harsh environment of Northern Greenland later this year.

Although the bulletproof shields used by police officers are definitely life-savers, the things are also quite heavy and bulky. The origami-inspired Swift Shield offers an alternative, as it folds down into a lightweight package when not in use.

Already the go-to for light, packable origami-inspired kayaks, Oru is now launching its lightest, most portable model to date. Sized down for the everyday commute, the new grab-and-go Inlet kayak rides to the water on your shoulder and sets up in well under five minutes.

Drones are pretty adept at a number of things, including the ability to crash into stuff. Obstacle avoidance systems are one way to protect these fragile flying machines, but one team of researchers is pursuing a different path with a drone that collapses to prevent damage in the event of a crash.

​When scientists are using submersibles to study deep-sea organisms, it's understandable that they'd want to harmlessly capture fragile-bodied animals in order to get a closer look at them. Well, Harvard University's Rotary Actuated Dodecahedron (RAD) sampler is designed for just such a purpose.

​Origami has plenty to offer the world of robotics, the latest example of which is a tower-shaped soft robot that can grasp objects and could safely interact with humans, possibly even as a tool for invasive surgeries.

​Kazuya Katagiri’s award-winning Shi-An is a movable mini tea house constructed entirely out of paper using ancient Origami processes. The igloo-like structure is just one of Katagiri’s fascinating recent experiments with different techniques and materials.

A professor at MIT has completed an 18-year-long origami quest to develop a universal algorithm that could generate the paper-folding patterns required to produce any 3D structure with the smallest number of seams possible.

​Origami has plenty to offer the world of robotics, and scientists have again borrowed from this ancient Japanese art form to create small triangular bots that can be snapped together and folded into modular machines of different shapes and sizes.

​Canoeing may indeed be a lot of fun, but the boats themselves aren't exactly made for being stored in small spaces, or transported via small cars. That's why MyCanoe was created. It folds up and can be carried in a couple of bags, yet reportedly only takes about 10 minutes to be made seaworthy.