Spherical image analysis of origami and kirigami.

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: Spherical image analysis of origami and kirigami.
Authors: Walker, M. G.1 (AUTHOR) martin.g.walker@durham.ac.uk, Dias, M. A.2 (AUTHOR)
Source: Proceedings of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical & Engineering Sciences. 5/1/2026, Vol. 482 Issue 2337, p1-20. 20p.
Subjects: Origami, Gauss maps, Geometric analysis, Kinematics, Paper arts, Polyhedra, Gaussian curvature
Abstract: Analysing origami structures typically consists of computing the dihedral relationships between facets, for which bar-and-hinge models and spatial linkages are widely used. An alternative geometric viewpoint is provided by the spherical image: the map of surface points to the unit sphere via their normal vectors. Although classical in differential geometry, its application in origami has mostly been confined to four-crease vertices, leaving its broader potential largely unexplored. In this study, we provide an overview of the mathematical foundations of the spherical image and its application to general polyhedral vertices. We then specialize this approach to the kinematic analysis of origami. We demonstrate how the discrete Gaussian curvature encodes a key geometric constraint independent of the dihedral angles. The spherical image approach is then applied to the analysis of the four-crease and symmetric waterbomb vertices. We extend spherical image analysis to the case of non-rigid origami, including stretching deformations. Finally, we consider the consequences of a cut on the spherical image to apply the approach to kirigami and clarify the definitions of the e-cone and k-cone. The spherical image offers a versatile, and intuitive, means to analyse the kinematics of origami and kirigami while also providing valuable geometric insights. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Proceedings of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical & Engineering Sciences is the property of Royal Society and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Engineering Source
FullText Text:
  Availability: 0
Header DbId: egs
DbLabel: Engineering Source
An: 193502429
AccessLevel: 6
PubType: Academic Journal
PubTypeId: academicJournal
PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
IllustrationInfo
Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: Spherical image analysis of origami and kirigami.
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Walker%2C+M%2E+G%2E%22">Walker, M. G.</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> martin.g.walker@durham.ac.uk</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Dias%2C+M%2E+A%2E%22">Dias, M. A.</searchLink><relatesTo>2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)
– Name: TitleSource
  Label: Source
  Group: Src
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Proceedings+of+the+Royal+Society+A%3A+Mathematical%2C+Physical+%26+Engineering+Sciences%22">Proceedings of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical & Engineering Sciences</searchLink>. 5/1/2026, Vol. 482 Issue 2337, p1-20. 20p.
– Name: Subject
  Label: Subjects
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Origami%22">Origami</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Gauss+maps%22">Gauss maps</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Geometric+analysis%22">Geometric analysis</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Kinematics%22">Kinematics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Paper+arts%22">Paper arts</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Polyhedra%22">Polyhedra</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Gaussian+curvature%22">Gaussian curvature</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Analysing origami structures typically consists of computing the dihedral relationships between facets, for which bar-and-hinge models and spatial linkages are widely used. An alternative geometric viewpoint is provided by the spherical image: the map of surface points to the unit sphere via their normal vectors. Although classical in differential geometry, its application in origami has mostly been confined to four-crease vertices, leaving its broader potential largely unexplored. In this study, we provide an overview of the mathematical foundations of the spherical image and its application to general polyhedral vertices. We then specialize this approach to the kinematic analysis of origami. We demonstrate how the discrete Gaussian curvature encodes a key geometric constraint independent of the dihedral angles. The spherical image approach is then applied to the analysis of the four-crease and symmetric waterbomb vertices. We extend spherical image analysis to the case of non-rigid origami, including stretching deformations. Finally, we consider the consequences of a cut on the spherical image to apply the approach to kirigami and clarify the definitions of the e-cone and k-cone. The spherical image offers a versatile, and intuitive, means to analyse the kinematics of origami and kirigami while also providing valuable geometric insights. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
  Label:
  Group: Ab
  Data: <i>Copyright of Proceedings of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical & Engineering Sciences is the property of Royal Society and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=egs&AN=193502429
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1098/rspa.2025.0820
    Languages:
      – Code: eng
        Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 20
        StartPage: 1
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Origami
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Gauss maps
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Geometric analysis
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Kinematics
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Paper arts
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Polyhedra
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Gaussian curvature
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Spherical image analysis of origami and kirigami.
        Type: main
  BibRelationships:
    HasContributorRelationships:
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Walker, M. G.
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Dias, M. A.
    IsPartOfRelationships:
      – BibEntity:
          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 05
              Text: 5/1/2026
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
          Identifiers:
            – Type: issn-print
              Value: 13645021
          Numbering:
            – Type: volume
              Value: 482
            – Type: issue
              Value: 2337
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: Proceedings of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical & Engineering Sciences
              Type: main
ResultId 1