In lieu of typical teenage pursuits like crafting paper aeroplanes, 14-year-old Miles Wu is meticulously folding origami structures that hold the potential to revolutionize disaster relief efforts.
This New York City adolescent has garnered a substantial $25,000 award for a research initiative centered on the Miura-ori fold, a specific origami technique distinguished by its capacity for precise collapse and expansion.
“Origami has been a cherished pastime for me for over six years; my earlier creations primarily featured fauna and insects,” Wu shared with Business Insider. “More recently, I’ve begun to conceptualize and design my own original origami patterns.”
The project that secured him the premier accolade at the Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge in October involved months of dedicated investigation. Wu sought to ascertain whether the robust strength-to-weight ratio inherent in the Miura fold could be effectively harnessed to enhance deployable structures intended for emergency applications.
In essence, Wu’s experimentation focused on quantifying the load-bearing capacity of the Miura fold across a spectrum of paper types, parallelogram dimensions (height and width), and angular configurations.
Wu conducted 54 distinct variations and completed 108 trials
When employing the Miura-ori technique, a sheet of paper is systematically folded into a smaller configuration characterized by repeating parallelogram units.
To pinpoint the optimal configuration, Wu systematically tested three distinct parallelogram widths, three varied parallelogram angles, and two different parallelogram heights, in addition to three distinct paper material types.
This rigorous methodology resulted in the preparation of 54 meticulously hand-folded variations, which were then subjected to 108 comprehensive trials.
“Following their fabrication with the assistance of a precision cutting machine, I positioned them between guiding elements to ensure consistency across all experimental runs,” Wu explained. “Subsequently, substantial weights were incrementally applied to the top.”
Wu progressively increased the applied weight on each tested variation until structural failure occurred. To his astonishment, the origami configurations demonstrated exceptional robustness. He initially utilized every available book in his residence as ballast before necessitating the acquisition of specialized exercise weights for his research endeavors.
Wu’s initial hypothesis posited that “smaller panels with less acute angles, constructed from denser materials, would yield a superior strength-to-weight ratio.”
Upon completion of his trials, his hypothesis was partially validated. While smaller, less acutely angled panels did exhibit a more favorable strength-to-weight ratio, Wu made a noteworthy discovery: standard copy paper, rather than denser materials, provided the strongest strength-to-weight performance.
“The ultimate metric I derived from the strongest Miura-ori configuration tested indicated its capacity to support more than 10,000 times its own mass,” Wu stated. “I calculated this to be analogous to a New York City taxi cab bearing the weight of over 4,000 elephants.”
Wu secured the highest distinction at the competition held in Washington, D.C.
Achieving first place at the Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge is a significant accomplishment. The application process mandates that middle school students first compete at regional science or engineering fairs, where a panel designates the top 10% of projects for advancement.
From an initial pool of approximately 2,000 applicants, judges select 300 semifinalists, subsequently narrowing the field to a distinguished group of 30. These 30 young innovators then travel to Washington, D.C., to present their research and engage in a series of competitive challenges.
These practical challenges play a crucial role in the judges’ final award determinations.
Maya Ajmera, the President and CEO of the Society for Science, which partners with Thermo Fisher Scientific to organize the competition, informed Business Insider that Wu demonstrated exceptional aptitude in these challenges.
“Our evaluation extends beyond the project itself. We assess their capacity for creative problem-solving, their resilience in overcoming obstacles, and their ability to foster a collaborative environment,” Ajmera stated. “Miles not only presented an extraordinary project but also distinguished himself as a leader during these interactive challenges.”
Ajmera emphasized the critical importance of introducing STEM education to young individuals.
“We are actively seeking to cultivate the next generation of innovators,” Ajmera declared.
Ajmera further noted that a considerable number of the student participants in the competition are contemplating future careers within STEM fields.
“This is profoundly significant for global competitiveness, particularly as the United States maintains its position as a global leader in innovation and in resolving some of the world’s most complex issues,” Ajmera commented. “We have a fundamental responsibility to nurture this innate curiosity.”
Wu indicated that he and his parents have decided to allocate the $25,000 award toward his higher education. Although nearly a month has passed since his victory, Wu is already envisioning tangible applications for his research.
“A primary objective is to develop a prototype of one of these Miura-ori structures to create a functional emergency shelter adaptable for real-world scenarios, thereby providing practical assistance to individuals in need,” Wu stated. “More broadly, I aspire to continue my research in origami-related fields, encompassing not only Miura-ori folds but origami as a whole, and its applications in diverse domains.”
This feature was originally disseminated by Business Insider.
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