The latest project to join the fold comes from US-based engineers who have developed a deployable shelter that can be shipped on a standard military pallet, improving the quality of life for soldiers while cutting energy consumption in the process.

The team at the University of Notre Dame's Kinetic Structure Laboratory would regularly play around with paper models during their discussions, but one meeting in particular uncovered a promising idea. Undergraduate research associate Angelene Dascanio rested her cell phone on the tail fold of an origami model to hold it in place, leveraging the main section of paper into the air.

This seemingly insignificant event triggered something of a light bulb moment for lab director Dr. Ashley Thrall. What if rather than erecting four shelter walls as per traditional construction, they were able to lever the walls into the upright position while folding out the roof at the same time?