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Part of me feels like using a computer to generate complex origami patterns is cheating.
For hundreds of years, origami’s most complex patterns topped out at 20 steps. These days patterns requiring more than 100 steps are common. Some of that competitive acceleration is due to Lang, who transformed the art by writing a computer program that can generate the blueprint for ultracomplex origami sculptures.
The other part of me wants to look at the results all day long.
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i would love to see them, but the link is not functional.
posted by l on 9-1-2006 at 4:19 pm
I read about Robert Lang a few years ago. His work goes far beyond cool origami scultures. His work has been used for:
- making auto air bags smaller (when folded) and safer
- Hug fold-out telescopes for space
- studing the folding proteins in living organisms.
I find that more cool than the bugs. The bugs are still pretty awesome.
posted by n2y2 on 9-1-2006 at 4:27 pm
Mary,
Thanks for that post. I was reading paper facts the other day…please don’t ask. Anyway…I came across this fun fact: no matter the size or thickness, no piece of paper can be hand folded in half more that 7 times over.
P.S. Hope you are feeling better.
posted by Dawn Lorraine on 9-1-2006 at 4:40 pm
Regarding that first comment: Really? It seems to work on my computer; sorry you’re having trouble. The address is:
http://www.discover.com/issues/jul-06/features/origami
There are several photos you can only get to by scrolling down and clicking on the patterns to reveal the creations they match up with.
Oh, and Dawn, thanks! I’m starting to feel better, thanks to the power of drugs. (The medical kind, I mean.)
posted by Mary on 9-1-2006 at 4:48 pm