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Project

7

Soft Matter

Ambiguous Kirigami

Kirigami is the ancient Japanese art of paper cutting and folding. While several templates exist for folding polyhedra, some are ambiguous and can fold into different polyhedra. This project aims to predict which polyhedron a given template will ultimately form using the mechanofolding self-folding method developed at CFTC. Mechanofolding is a process where the transition from a 2D sheet to a 3D structure is driven by a mechanical agitation of the template that consists in rigid panels connected with hinges and with magnets on the free edges. By combining computational simulations with experimental data, we will investigate the underlying physics of this ambiguous kirigami to understand the specific mechanics that dictate the final structural outcome.

Supervisor(s):

João Neves, Daniel Matias

Positions:

2

Requirements:

None

Supported by

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© 2026 by CFTC, UIDB/00618/2020

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