Kuttsukigami: sticky sheet design

Abstract

Shaping 3D objects from 2D sheets enables form and function in diverse areas from art to engineering. Here we introduce kuttsukigami, which exploits sheet-sheet adhesion to create structure. The technique allows thin sheets to be sculpted without requiring sharp folds, enabling structure in a broad range of materials for a versatile and reconfigurable thin-sheet engineering design scheme. Simple closed structures from cylindrical loops to complex shapes like the Möbius loop are constructed and modeled through the balance between deformation and adhesion. Importantly, the balance can be used to create experimental measurements of elasticity in complex morphologies. More practically, kuttsukigami is demonstrated to encapsulate objects from the kitchen to micro scales and to build on-demand logic gates through sticky electronic sheets for truly reusable, reconfigurable devices.