Rigid Folding in Robotic Multi-agent Systems

The paper seeks to investigate the potential of biologically inspired multi-agent systems for architectural applications. The generation of ‘form’ through the process of ‘rigid folding’ represents a complex architectural procedure, which we seek to perform by employing a number of simple collaborative agents. Through a prototypic approach, closely matched with the constraints of a real world application, we want to demonstrate that the central architectural needs of form adaptability and resilience can be increased with this method. The established prototype is intended to serve as the ‘embodiment’ for different codes and strategies to test. Its shape transitions are based on the principal of folding, in which the triangle mesh topology serves as the basis for its folding patterns. © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. Selection and peer-review under responsibility of KES International.