Topological, reconfigurable load-bearing cellular origami

Metamaterials capable of reconfiguring their shape and tune their mechanical properties post fabrication are sought in a large palette of applications including deployable structures, soft robotics, and microfluids. Their performance is currently limited by three main factors: i) inability to tolerate mechanical forces unless constraints are enforced onto their architecture; ii) huge elastic anisotropy with stiffness values changing with direction over a few orders of magnitude; iii) complex and lengthy process of fabrication. Inspired by notions of origami and kirigami, we introduce here a class of reconfigurable load-bearing cellular materials that can be easily realized to reversibly fold into multiple states, lock sturdily to bear the applied loads, as well as display omnidirectional compressive stiffness. In addition, this class of reconfigurable metamaterials can undergo a range of unprecedented responses including topological switches from open to closed cell configurations, geometric changes in edge and face connectivity, as well as programmable variations in permeability and elastic properties.