Origami Inspired Laser Scanner

Diverse origami techniques and various selections of paper open new possibilities to create micromachines. By folding paper, this article proposes an original approach to build laser scanners, which manipulate optical beams precisely and realize valuable applications, including laser marking, cutting, engraving, and displaying. A prototype has been designed, implemented, actuated, and controlled. The experimental results demonstrate that the angular stroke, repeatability, full scale settling time, and resonant frequency are 20 degrees, 0.849 m degrees, 330 ms, 68 Hz, respectively. Its durability, more than 35 million cycles, shows the potential to carry out serious tasks.

Automated summary

By utilizing origami techniques and different types of paper, a new approach to building laser scanners has been proposed. The scanners can manipulate optical beams precisely and have applications such as laser marking, cutting, engraving, and displaying.