Reality-bending Metamaterials Could Revolutionize Future Spacecraft Designs

University of Washington researchers have developed a novel solution to help reduce impact forces - for potential applications in spacecraft, cars and beyond. And the new approach was inspired by origami.
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This breakthrough development could one day let us reuse spacecraft, build epic superhero suits, or even harvest energy for electronics. Inspired by the paper folding art of origami, the team created a paper model of a metamaterial (an artificial substance engineered to exhibit properties that we haven’t actually found in nature) that uses “folding creases” to soften impact forces and instead promote forces that relax stresses in the chain.
Metamaterials are designed with repeating structures allowing them to direct and control the flow of electromagnetic or physical waves through them. They have incredible properties--like light-bending abilities or superconductivity--that come from their structure, not their substance.
And so engineering teams, like this one at the University of Washington, can make reality-bending properties emerge from something as simple as acrylic and paper and this design in particular draws from the mathematical concepts of origami.
These aeronautical engineers created a modular structure using shapes they call TCOs, Triangulated Cylindrical Origami. Unlike other metamaterials, which typically tend to harden under compression, this structure exhibits “strain-softening behavior.” This essentially means that the engineers found a way to turn a compression wave into a tension wave.
So how will this new approach impact the future of spacecrafts, cars, and beyond? Find out in this Elements.
#spacecrafts #metamaterials #origami #superconductivity #science #seeker #elements
Read More:
‘Origami' Metamaterial Softens Impact Forces
www.futurity.org/origami-metamaterial-impact-2076812-2/
"Landing is stressful on a rocket’s legs because they must handle the force from the impact with the landing pad. One way to combat this is to build legs out of materials that absorb some of the force and soften the blow. The paper model of the new metamaterial promotes forces that relax stresses in the chain..."
Cool Jobs: The art of paper folding is inspiring science
www.sciencenewsforstudents.org/article/cool-jobs-paper-folding-origami-inspiring-science
"Origami has even inspired scientists to tackle a vast variety of projects, from creating shape-shifting pasta to improving noise barriers for roads. These and other origami-inspired scientific innovations are powerful because they pack a triple punch. They combine the power of science, art and math."
A Medley of Metamaterials
www.aps.org/publications/apsnews/201604/metamaterials.cfm
"So what's the next frontier in metamaterials? It may be the super-small, according to Itai Cohen of Cornell University. Cohen favors origami metamaterials, which are formed out of thin sheets that can fold and unfold in complex patterns."
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[@Seeker]

Hi Seekers, thanks for watching! For more on how NASA engineers are using origami to design spacecraft, check out this Focal Point: kzbin.info/www/bejne/gqqWmYB4eZmba6c

[@gumunduringigumundsson9344]

I'm glad we didn't figure this out 42 years from now

[@mekuto.fukiko]

"If that isnt magic, what else do u want from science?" Lol

[@mekuto.fukiko]

@advsoft ikr she has said many weird stuff

[@lill1557]

Séance

[@BoWeava]

XD

[@DJMerck]

Dumber words have been said,,, but not many....

[@davidgorelle8967]

No no, magic is science that we don't understand yet

[@ratnambordia4452]

Uploaded 12 secs ago and here I am; social distancing.

[@mr.personhumanson6871]

It's things like this that makes me wish that I was still in highschool so I could kill it with the science projects.

[@Philosophical_engineer]

Mr. Person Humanson. What is stoping you from doing these science projects now?

[@gs-nq6mw]

Those things are made by the top 10% smartest people not random highschool kid

[@trabladorr]

2:55 - 3:10: What's the opposite of kinetic energy? What insight does this offer in generating electricity? Seeker dialing the hype of a paper to 11 as per usual.

[@thomasi.4981]

The opposite of kinetic energy is just kinetic energy going the other way. As for the electricity thing, yeah, we want more info please.

[@trabladorr]

@@thomasi.4981 Energy is scalar, not a vector. "Opposite" applies only when referring to exotic negative energy concepts. Moreover, even in the flawed conception of vector kinetic energy, this contraption inverts the expected forces at a part of the structure, not the direction that mass is moving in. Thus, it diffuses potential energy over time and space in a surprising manner.

[@andrewj22]

@@trabladorr Exactly what I was thinking. I watch this channel because I'm interested in the subject matter, but I always always feel a little more stupid after watching one of their videos.

[@ugoeze7360]

“Build some landing legs on this cootie catcher” is what I say to my personal trainer.

[@technocracy90]

When she said "it's my personal fantasy" I was like wha it's too hot

[@sebastianelytron8450]

A non-sexual personal fantasy. Let that sink in for a minute.

[@thomasi.4981]

@@sebastianelytron8450 That sink can stay outside or wait at home a couple weeks. I'm practicing social distancing.

[@mimireich]

Origami: One of many ways to do creative thinking from paper folding into a reality. Amazing :D

[@gabedarrett1301]

I personally thought this was too short and light on details. How is it going to be used in "epic super hero suits"? How about reusable rockets? The landing legs on the falcon 9 do a good job already. Lastly, how do you harvest electricity from these shapes? Interesting video nonetheless

[@innategravity6698]

Did you not watch the video? I feel like she answered all your questions pretty easily?

[@xxportalxx.]

@@innategravity6698 I don't believe she gave any specifics at all relating to generating electricity other than saying 'this could help generate electricity' lmfao she gave zero qualifying information

[@TehNoob1096]

@@xxportalxx. Veritasium has a similar episode on this subject that goes a bit more in depth. It's a good watch. Edit: There's two, actually. "Why Machines That Bend are Better" and "Engineering with Origami"

[@xxportalxx.]

@@TehNoob1096 yeah I've seen those I believe, they came out some time ago tho right?

[@TehNoob1096]

@@xxportalxx. Yep quite a while back

[@catalinacurio]

Something for the kids to learn while they have all this free time! 😊💙

[@BuildLancer]

Make some truck suspension with that

[@pearlphosphophyllite995]

Them: *creates complex origami* Me: *creates a frog* ...boing?

[@BartJBols]

So its a spring? because springs do that too, you know? Its basically a very complex spring.

[@joshuacook2]

I'm glad someone said it. Though it seems like they are suggesting that the exact order the peaks and valleys of the wave may be different on impulse. But I'm not sure

[@AldenNoel]

THIS IS INGENIOUS! Was working on a design similar to this over the summer at Uni at Buffalo, but with a completely different application.

[@SciFactsYT118]

Random fact: A pharaoh once lathered his slaves in honey to keep bugs away from him.

[@greaterbread1456]

Smart

[@benjamintrabut1396]

I understand, I make the same with my little brother

[@mr.personhumanson6871]

I hang out with ugly people to make myself look more attractive

[@mistermind8170]

It's like vibranium from wakanda which absorbs energy from an impact

[@EyesOfByes]

2:42 We just found a solution for lower back pain ❤️

[@keithwilliamson8428]

Having a structure that can cancel the shock seems new but the theory reminds me of speaker technology where a lot of the sound or waves coming out the front are cancelled by the waves coming out the back unless something is done to deaden the waves in the back like a sealed enclosure or to offset them by using a port which delays them by a few microseconds.

[@Henry680]

milli seconds. takes 10ms for a 180deg phase shift at 50hz. it's a bit more complex than that as it is driven resonance which in itself causes a phase shift but close enough.

[@iridium8562]

« Look at this Möbius strip, is it 2 dimensional, 3 dimensional.. » What does that even mean..

[@oerwout10]

im not sure. its pretty clear that its 3 dimentional. usually when people talk about a mobius strip its because it only has one side.

[@somethingabsbhdhdh]

@@oerwout10 exactly it has one side so it means one surface which means 2D

[@oerwout10]

@@somethingabsbhdhdh you are right but the surface bends in all 3 axies so im not sure it actualy is considered a flat surface.

[@JcoleMc]

@@oerwout10 Accrually your all wrong it is only 12 to the power of 2 34th dimensional.

[@iridium8562]

Jonathan Cole what definition of dimension are you using xD

[@kwgibb8977]

feels like im rewatching something ive seen before..

[@redhousetn73]

I wonder if that would work to reduce rifle recoil in a gun stock somehow designed with this method.

[@JSephH76]

Typical American. Cool new science? "Hey Clyde! We gon shoot somebody reaaalll good with this here metermateral!"

[@JSephH76]

And before you reply know that I'm also an American. I'm from Tennessee. And that impression was of my uncle. So yeah. I can judge lol

[@bigandfluffy2000]

I wonder if this would be any good for vehicle applications, like suspension and shock absorbers

[@duchi882]

Hopefully it can also Bend Reality wherein Half-Life 3 exists

[@laurenz1337_]

Well, the new Half-Life comes out today, so there is that.

[@alephkasai9384]

Valve still can't count to 3 but goshdarn this is exciting

[@laurenz1337_]

@@alephkasai9384 indeed it is, I already have it preloaded. Can't wait to play it on my index :o

[@alephkasai9384]

@@laurenz1337_ I'mma just watch the vids of the game. No money for VR unfortunately

[@CHAOSMOVEMENT]

We just welcomed a company called Meta Materials here in the US, the only operational company of it's kind, also known as MMAT on the NASDAQ!

[@prithvirajdj]

Surely you'd own a plot on Mars someday, but stay home for now.

[@benjaminlamptey1867]

I can't wait for this tech to transfer into building materials esp those for skyscrapers. This could also be a leap towards a space elevator or space tower.

[@salamander333]

Egg drop and pumpkin drop competitions will never be the same.

[@vishank7]

This is beautiful! Amazing work people👏

[@jessiferri2922]

Great video. Amanda, Julian and Maren are great hosts, great presentation and fun.

[@christianheichel]

Lot of species of butterfly actually have what you would call metamaterials on them. That's why they look blue. Because their wings are shaped in just a way to absorb all wavelengths except for the blue ones.

[@Amigps01]

Are you sure there aren’t many studies? I’ve been seeing videos and reading articles about engineers using origami in structures for many years now. Not sure where you got that info from.

[@jacobabell3153]

Thanks for sharing, this is part of the future of the next industrial revolution! So stoked, now we need to get y'all huge grants for research and development!

[@daryjoe]

How different is this from a spring?

[@TheLopez2617]

Isn't that just a spring? At least when it comes to the Structural comp8of it.

[@nickAlviar]

Sorry for my ignorance, but how is it different from a super effective spring ?

[@PonytailSensei]

scientists: makes spaceship origamis me: makes cranes ☺

[@timetodestination9538]

Seeker gave me hope for humanity.

[@bujoun76]

This is why I like this channel..!

[@ChrisBullock1978]

Those look like some cool toys. If they could engineer it to include wifi and maybe the scientist could truly learn from people some great designs from people at large. The material looks good but it also sounds like it is just getting to the middle of the experiment

[@PRDreams]

Fine. Thanks Japan for your beautiful art. It's pretty and useful

[@jbagustin4868]

It looks like a shock absorber.

[@jean_mollycutpurse_winchester]

What about an arm that can resist centripetal force? And make something that can be accelerated slowly towards the speed of light?

[@Cethavi]

Da Bronya has many meta materials

[@HerbBennett]

The world of polyhedra is the general field of this video. In the classical context, applications tend to be static. They deal with rigid materials to define space for living, containerization and industrial design. The geometry is generally Euclidean, straight line and flat surfaces defined by various 'constellations or clusters of points in space. They allow a specific type of behavior as a result of their dynamic symmetry potential and the material psychology natural materials provide. This video shows us the next step towards more degrees of freedom on many more levels to come. The evolution of the complementary Non-Euclidean or curved geometry is the next level. It is amazing what paperboard, utility knives, and Elmer's glue can teach us. The same clusters of space that define the Euclidean vocabulary can be used to generate a NEW VOCABULARY of 3D Forms.I have invented such a language that expresses a new aesthetic which is opening up an area of exploration I attribute to the transitions taking place in technology and the economy as a viable solution that will transform how many of the "Form INtensive" disciplines and media designers can expand their "visual intelligence and add value to enhance the PARADIGMS designers now work with. This is exciting stuff and I suggest that anyone interested in this area can contact me on Facebook or Linkedin.

[@lordnedz]

Imagine Bigelow aerospace adapting this construction method with their proprietary materials, for their space habitats.

[@veronicathecow]

F=ma Meta material or ordinary, it's the rate of change of velocity that determines damage to head, (football helmets etc). The advantage is if the material if not damaged whilst absorbing the force.

[@Chifilife]

I appreciated that "meta" joke at the beginning 😂

[@diGritz1]

Oh great, another meta material that will change the world. How many are we up to now? I'ma hold my breath for this one...... Is it done yet...... Is it done yet...... Is it domnh........RIP.

[@francistremblay9162]

It would be nice to have intelligent material which can detect you and generate heat in your surrounding in a way that you are comfortable, the objects are not hotter than 21 celsius when you touch them, but the room temperature could be low as -30 celsius.

[@marcos31749]

Not to make a mean comment, but I've been making origami for years, and I can tell you that it is the art of making something out of a un-cut, solid-shaped pice of paper o other material; triangles, squares, rectangles, pentagons, etc... Not specific shaped and pre-cuted pieces. The design could be influenced by origami, but it is not origami just by adding mountain folds and valley folds.

[@justcallmesomething8089]

Wow a paper spring

[@welkinator]

It's as if we've forgotten "tensegrity" - a Bucky Fullerism. (Tensional Integrity)

[@MrJaimeaquerol]

Imagine your car bumper made with this concept. Or your shoes.

[@PinkProgram]

Wasn't the computer for the mission to the moon woven into a solid state system? Rope core memory... One could use metamaterials to weave a nanoscale program tapestry for operating systems or even AI that are part of the structure of the computer itself.

[@trabladorr]

but why?

[@leeorshimhoni8949]

Excellent video.

[@RalphDratman]

Cool! But I thought making a "metamaterial" involved turning some piece of macroscopic engineering into a meso- or nano-scale substance. Is that going to happen with these origami machines?

[@xXlURMOMlXx]

That just looks like a spring with extra steps

[@marianoalippi5226]

Science apart from being intelligent can be beautiful and interesting like you in this video.

[@omar2886]

Can you do a video to analyze the impact of the quarantine due to Coronavirus and environmental impact?

[@sonofthemosthighestgod750]

Take this and make it microscopic and use a strong flexible material. Then layer the external composition with an even hard exo skeleton basically layer these two identically sculpted sheets to make a suit then stack them" thin like skin but strong as still but what materials are this strong on the periodic table ? 🤔

[@andrewvirtue5048]

What more do I want from science? Personal time travel or to go to a different universe to live a slightly different life.

[@michaelgoulish3267]

I have heard of a company in New Zealand -- Emrod -- that claims to be able to use electromagnetic metamaterial panels to efficiently transmit power, in the form of microwaves, over long distances. Possibly tens of kilometers! I am trying hard to learn more about this, like how far can you really go, with what size panels, how much loss, etc -- but details are very hard to come by.

[@johndawson6057]

Any update on Emrid?

[@michaeltrites5855]

This is cool, but it's basically a complicated spring. Not that it's useless or that it doesn't have potential, but I feel like they're over hyping it.

[@SomeDoooD]

We finally found the edge of the Milky Way a couple days ago. Hope you guys get on that soon.

[@KTHKUHNKK]

One word WOW And just think we are just scratching the surface. Keith Kuhn

[@leadpie9889]

Nice

[@StoneCoolds]

It could be use in cars to improve crash survivability

[@SabaDhutt]

That joke about the invisible suit of armor ...I don’t think Pentagon is laughing.

[@nathandyer1111]

This would be perfect for graphene’s god tier tensile strength

[@benjaminlamptey1867]

I bet the 1st use of TCO will be in replacing Kevlar.

[@leorigor157]

I hope this idea could be utilize to somehow lessen the effect of G-force when piloting a suit like Tony Stark's. Though there are still impossibilities in creating the actual suit like actually producing the arc reactor but that's one less of a problem with this origami stuff.

[@trabladorr]

G-forces are felt because of acceleration and inertia. Only way to reduce them is to accelerate less.

[@leorigor157]

@@trabladorr I don't exactly agree with your "only way" to reduce em. Maybe for now that's the only possible way. But that's exactly my point, utilizing this tech's potential if it will ever be utilized to find a novelty in reducing G-forces.

[@KarachoBolzen]

@@leorigor157 yeah but it is exactly the only way, at least utilizing any external dampener design. (Skip this first paragraph if you know a bit about acceleration, just trying to get everyone on the same level) You feel g-forces because while for example the skin on your back is being directly accelerated by your car, any loose bits or fluids inside your body (like your blood, your inner organs, your brain and the fluid in your inner ear that actually does the acceleration-feeling) are lagging behind due to inertia, so they only get accelerated once the stuff between your backside and them is compressed enough to actually provide the force. Which is why you're feeling pressed into your seat, it's exactly what's happening. It's also why very high g-forces can result in aneurisms, as your blood pools up in your back the blood vessels are put under pressure, which may cause them to burst. The only way to really mitigate this effect is if you were to accelerate every particle in your body simultaneously. Which necessarily means no "pushing" from just one side of it. This way, the pieces on your front wouldn't be bunching up against the ones on your back, because your front and back are accelerated at the same time, independently, instead of relying on your back to gradually accelerate your front. This could maybe be achieved using very strong magnetic fields? But it would have to be extremely precise even then so you don't accidentally rip stuff.

[@leorigor157]

@@KarachoBolzen thanks for the explanation man. It's really fascinating how one could be educated by simply commenting something he doesn't know about as long as someone shows interest.

[@KarachoBolzen]

@@leorigor157 isn't it! Sadly, lots of people get easily bummed out when you explain stuff to them, because they feel they're attacked, or being called dumb, when they're really not. Thank you for not doing that!

[@moses6486]

This reminds me about the paper on quantum machines turning information into fuel, published last year, I think. But yeah nice origami trusses.

[@moses6486]

Engineers are so adorable

[@h7opolo]

"Experimental Demonstration of Quantum Effects in the Operation of Microscopic Heat Engines" - journals.aps.org/prl/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevLett.122.110601, 👍

[@yourcommentmightnotworksop9987]

science:: origami wohhhh japanese kids :: confused faces

[@kiro9291]

invisible suit of armor hell yeah

[@III-zy5jf]

Science talking about origami structures, again?! No one is making them.

[@TimeSculptors0]

Awesome technology

[@3_up_moon]

That's a mother loving UFO circa Phoenix Lights, maybe the Battle of Los Angeles.

[@Jasonak907]

😂🤣 Always love these videos. The hipster wordplay was brilliant and made my day.

[@kristoradion]

Black panther suit. Shuri already found it.

[@inzagwa]

So if we suspend/cradle a cockpit with these, does that mean it would have sci-fi-esk inertial dampeners?

[@Knives323]

So it's a spring

[@AdrianDucao]

if this is how math and physics is presented to schools probably more people are either engineers, scientist and physicist in today's world than even before....

[@MistaWu]

Consider my mind blown....👏

[@raibard8886]

amazing!!

[@ericbuhne3488]

This makes me think of microtubules

[@jasonblack4729]

Anti gravity tech thats what i'm waiting for XD

[@anant_singh]

May be it may also used for lightweight rocket building which would consume less fuel. Who knows if one day we may be travelling to Mars in the same fuel as we today use for travel from India to the US.

[@ashutoshyadav7555]

Does the shape of space time gets affected by shape of an object??

[@ibrahimnabhan2592]

Maybe this is how black panthers suit works

[@lennoxchen8646]

Newton: I slap car, car slaps me back

[@jamiedaly6860]

"Light bending properties" Comment section: they're making invisible houses

[@h7opolo]

2:55 this is my raison d'etre.

[@papaburger]

I want a origami laptop computer .

[@MinorZero]

If that isn't magic... "any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic" is then proven again it seems

[@Juiczey]

Superhero suits? You mean war soldier suits we use to kill each other. Your welcome.

[@sorses]

I mean this is essentially a slinky but from the form and not so much material. So like a paper slinky. The amazing thing is that this can be scaled down to small scales and still work right?

[@gregs.1230]

This stuff is extrateresteial technology. Bob lazar was talking about this "metamaterials" 30 years ago

[@zaboss.]

Not gonna lie the first thing I thought of was shoes lol

[@Mi.wagh786]

Awesome

[@meyou118]

love the info seeker. please loose the background music, its annoying