Origami Structures for Deployed Soldiers
The United States military spends millions of dollars every day on fuel for air conditioning or heat for deployed soldiers, who are oftentimes stationed in extreme climates. Led by Professor Ashley Thrall, engineers at the University of Notre Dame were tasked with creating deployable structures to cut back on energy costs. Using advanced materials and adaptive tools, Notre Dame engineers designed an innovative structure that is comprised of rigid origami folding panels. The structure, modular and lightweight, can be deployed by several soldiers in less than an hour. The design ultimately reduces energy consumption by seventy percent, saving the United States military hundreds of millions of dollars every year.
This project was managed in part by Pulte Institute staff.