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Parachutes inspired by the Japanese art of kirigami

Cutting a pattern into a flat disc can transform it into a parachute capable of carrying small payloads, which might be used to deliver humanitarian aid
By
  1. Pierre-Thomas Brun

    1. Pierre-Thomas Brun is in the Department of Chemical Engineering, KU Leuven, Leuven 3001, Belgium.

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The fastening material Velcro, which was inspired by the hooks of plant burrs, is a well-known example of biomimicry, an engineering philosophy that uses biological systems as blueprints for product design. Biology is not the only source of such insight — traditional arts and craftsmanship, which have been refined over generations, are also being reimagined as engineering tools. For example, origami, the Japanese art of folding paper, has enabled deployable structures, including shelters and aerospace applications1. In the same spirit, writing in Nature, Lamoureux et al.2 report parachutes inspired by kirigami — a Japanese art form in which a sheet of paper is cut to create complex patterns and 3D designs. By cutting patterned slits in a flat disc, the authors designed parachutes that open during flight, generating drag and slowing their descent. Remarkably, once deployed, these kirigami-inspired parachutes, or ‘kiri-chutes’, resemble the feathery bristles of dandelions and other wind-dispersed seeds3, echoing solutions that nature developed long ago.

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Nature 646, 43-45 (2025)

doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-025-02969-x

References

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Competing Interests

The author declares no competing interests.

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