The clever folding seen in the wings of insects is the ultimate unfolding structure that can be stored and unfolded in an instant while being extremely compact, and is expected to have various engineering applications.Among them, the earwig wing is about 15/1 of the unfolded state and can be folded most compactly among insects, and there are many reports of interesting functions such as a special spring mechanism that maintains the unfolded state.

　In addition to the three-dimensional shape analysis of the folded wing by micro CT, the geometry of origami, which is a traditional Japanese culture, was applied to the research.The development drawing design method clarified by this can be drawn with very simple and rudimentary geometric knowledge.A video of drawing an earwig fan with a ruler and a compass has been released along with the paper.

　By elucidating the geometric rules, the excellent folding characteristics of earwigs can be applied to various products of different sizes and shapes, from space expansion structures such as solar panels for artificial satellites and buildings to daily necessities such as umbrellas and folding fans. It is said that it can be applied.The research team is also developing software that automates the design process.

　In addition, a study of fossil records has shown that this geometric rule can be applied to the folding of the wing of an insect, which appears to be a closely related species of the Permian earwig.It has been used for 2 years as a very good method.It is an interesting achievement that shows that the geometry of origami can explain the evolution of insect wings.

Paper information:[Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America] Earwig fan designing: biomimetic and evolutionary biology