Object delivery by pushing objects with mobile robots on a flat surface has been successfully demonstrated. However, existing methods can push objects that have a circular or rectangular shape. In this paper, we introduce a learning-based approach for pushing objects of any irregular shape to user-specified goal locations. We first automatically collect a set of data on how an irregular-shaped object moves given the robot's relative position and pushing direction. We collect this data with a randomized approach, and we demonstrate that this approach can successfully collect useful data. Object delivery is achieved by using the collected data with a non-parametric regression method. We demonstrate our approach with a number of irregular-shaped objects.

Easily Create Origami with Curved Folds and Surfaces Origami—making shapes only through folding—reveals a fascinating area of geometry woven with a variety of representations. The world of origami has progressed dramatically since the advent of computer programs to perform the necessary computations for origami design. 3D Origami Art presents the design methods underlying 3D creations derived from computation. It includes numerous photos and design drawings called crease patterns, which are available for download on the author’s website. Through the book’s clear figures and descriptions, readers can easily create geometric 3D structures out of a set of lines and curves drawn on a 2D plane. The author uses various shapes of sheets such as rectangles and regular polygons, instead of square paper, to create the origami. Many of the origami creations have a 3D structure composed of curved surfaces, and some of them have complicated forms. However, the background theory underlying all the creations is very simple. The author shows how different origami forms are designed from a common theory.

Iris folding is an art-form consisting of layered strips of paper, forming a spiral pattern behind an aperture, which can be used to make cards and gift tags. This paper describes an interactive computational tool to assist in the design and construction of original iris folding patterns. The design of iris folding patterns is formulated as the calculation of a circumscribed polygonal sequence around a seed polygon. While it is possible to compute the positions of vertices analytically for a regular polygon, it is not straightforward to do so for irregular polygons. We give a numerical method for irregular polygons, which can be applied to arbitrary convex seed polygons. The user can quickly experiment with various patterns using the system prior to constructing the art-form.

Origami techniques, as folding and unfolding, can be utilized in shrinkable structures. Especially when the crease pattern is rigid foldable, it can be treated as a mechanical linkage of rigid panels connected by hinges. Since rigid foldable crease patterns have the strong geometrical constraint of the facets not being able to stretch or bend, it is difficult to design new crease patterns, and variations of existing patterns are limited. However, it is known that there are cases where crease patterns can be made rigid foldable by adding some slits. This paper proposes a mechanical linkage that folds into a similar flat shape by adding slits. A method is presented of generating rigid foldable crease patterns in arbitrary polygons that fold smaller, and it is confirmed that structures that have a mechanism for shrinking can be generated from these crease patterns using rigid thick panels and hinges.