Origami is the ancient Japanese art of paper folding, where flat sheets of paper are intricately folded to create complex shapes, like animals, flowers, or geometric figures, without cutting or gluing. This technique transforms a simple piece of paper into a three-dimensional object, often with remarkable detail and beauty.

Hierarchical origami-based metastructures take inspiration from this art form but use materials that can hold their shape and withstand various conditions. These structures are made up of multiple layers, or hierarchies, of smaller units that are connected in a way that allows them to fold and unfold like origami. Each unit can be a simple shape, like a square or triangle, but when combined, they can create highly complex forms.

These metastructures might look like intricate geometric sculptures that can change their shape. For instance, they could start as a compact, folded shape and then unfold into a larger, more open structure. Imagine a flat, folded design that expands into a multi-layered, box-like shape with internal compartments. Or, picture a structure that looks like a folded-up cube but can transform into a long, bridge-like form or a spherical shape with various patterns.

The design's flexibility allows these structures to be used in different scenarios, such as creating robots that can change their form to move in different ways, or building components that can alter their shape to fit into tight spaces or expand when more space is needed. The ability to morph into a wide variety of shapes makes these metastructures incredibly versatile for numerous applications.