IEEE ICRA 2026

How Origami and Kirigami Have Revolutionized Robotics and What's Beyond?

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ABSTRACT

Origami and kirigami, the ancient arts of paper folding and cutting, have inspired groundbreaking innovations in modern robotics, enabling engineers to design systems with unprecedented flexibility, adaptability, and efficiency. By leveraging these techniques, researchers have created innovative robotic systems capable of complex transformations, lightweight structures, and versatile functionalities. These origami- and kirigami-inspired robots can fold, morph, and adapt to a wide range of tasks, from soft robotics and deployable devices to minimally invasive surgery and space exploration. Nevertheless, while significant strides have been made, there remains a compelling need to explore the next frontiers of origami and kirigami in robotics. This workshop seeks to investigate the future potential of these design principles, pushing beyond folding and morphing. We aim to gather leading experts from diverse fields—mechanics, mechanisms, materials science, robotics, and even biomedical engineering—to discuss the latest advances, identify new challenges, and explore how these techniques can further expand the capabilities of future robotic systems. Our objectives encompass addressing extant challenges, cultivating fresh interest, attracting new participants to the field, and fostering collaborative synergies that will drive the evolution of origami and kirigami robotics.

Call for Contributions

We are calling for researchers at all career stages to contribute short talks, posters, and live demonstrations at the workshop. Those interested should submit an 1-page abstract with a maximum of one figure as a PDF to flexrob@fudan.edu.cn & oxfordbiorobotics@gmail.com.

The submission deadline is Sunday, April 26th, 2026 (11:59 PM, your local time).

Submission details: Two or three of submissions will be chosen to give short lightening talks during the workshop. Other submissions will be accepted to present posters or live demonstrations. We would like to encourage participants to present live demos if possible! There are two prizes sponsored by NOKOV and Advanced Robotics Research for the best lightening talks and posters each.