Skip to main content
Log in

Origami Embedding of Piecewise-Linear Two-Manifolds

  • Published:
Algorithmica Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

We show that any compact, orientable, piecewise-linear two-manifold with Euclidean metric can be realized as a flat origami, meaning a set of non-crossing polygons in Euclidean 2-space “plus layers”. This result implies a weak form of a theorem of Burago and Zalgaller: any orientable, piecewise-linear two-manifold can be embedded into Euclidean 3-space “nearly” isometrically. We also correct a mistake in our previously published construction for cutting any polygon out of a folded sheet of paper with one straight cut.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Demaine, E., Demaine, M., Lubiw, A.: Flattening polyhedra. Manuscript (2001)

  2. Connelly, R.: A flexible sphere. Math. Intell. 1, 130–131 (1978)

    Article  MATH  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  3. Connelly, R., Sabitov, I., Walz, A.: The bellows conjecture. Contrib. Algebra Geom. 38, 1–10 (1997)

    MATH  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  4. Bern, M., Demaine, E., Eppstein, D., Hayes, B.: A disk-packing algorithm for an origami magic trick. In: Lodi, E., Pagli, L., Santoro, N. (eds.) Preliminary version: Fun with Algorithms, pp. 32–42. Carleton Scientific, Waterloo (1999). Also: T. Hull (ed.) Origami3, pp. 17–28. AK Peters, Wellesley (2002)

    Google Scholar 

  5. Zalgaller, V.A.: Isometric immersions of polyhedra. Dokladi Akademii Nauk USSR T.123 N4 (1958)

  6. Burago, Y.D., Zalgaller, V.A.: Isometric piecewise linear embedding of two-dimensional manifolds with a polyhedral metric in ℝ3. St. Petersb Math. J. 7, 369–385 (1996)

    MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  7. Burago, Y.D., Zalgaller, V.A.: Polyhedral realizations of developments. Vestn. Leningr. Univ. 15, 66–80 (1960)

    MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  8. Nash, J.F.: The imbedding problem for Riemannian manifolds. Ann. Math. 63, 20–63 (1956)

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  9. Nash, J.F.: C 1-isometric imbeddings. Ann. Math. 60, 383–396 (1954)

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  10. Kuiper, N.H.: On C 1-isometric imbeddings I. Proc. Nederl. Akad. Wetensch., Ser. A 58, 545–556 (1955)

    MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  11. Akopyan, A., Tarasov, A.: PL-analogue of Nash-Kuiper theorem. Talk presented at Numerical geometry, grid generation and scientific computing (NUMGRID2008), Moscow (2008)

  12. Krat, S., Burago, Y.D., Petrunin, A.: Approximating short maps by PL-isometries and Arnold’s “Can you make your dollar bigger” problem. Talk presented at the Fourth International Meeting of Origami Science, Mathematics, and Education, Pasadena (2006)

  13. Zalgaller, V.A.: Some bendings of a long cylinder. J. Math. Sci. 100, 2228–2238 (2000)

    MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  14. Alekseevskij, D.V., Vinogradov, A.M., Lychagin, V.V.: Basic Ideas and Concepts of Differential Geometry. Springer, Berlin (1991). Translated from the Russian by E. Primrose

    Google Scholar 

  15. Bern, M., Hayes, B.: The complexity of flat origami. In: Proc. 7th ACM-SIAM Symp. Disc. Algorithms, pp. 175–183 (1996)

  16. Demaine, E., O’Rourke, J.: Geometric Folding Algorithms: Linkages, Origami, and Polyhedra. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge (2007)

    Book  Google Scholar 

  17. Hull, T.: On the mathematics of flat origamis. Congressus Numerantium 100, 215–224 (1994)

    MATH  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  18. Bern, M., Mitchell, S., Ruppert, J.: Linear-size nonobtuse triangulation of polygons. Discrete Comput. Geom. 14, 411–428 (1995)

    Article  MATH  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  19. Erickson, J., Har-Peled, S.: Optimally cutting a surface into a disk. In: Symp. Comp. Geometry (2002)

  20. Lang, R.J.: Origami Design Secrets, Mathematical Methods for an Ancient Art. AK Peters, Wellesley (2003)

    MATH  Google Scholar 

  21. Pak, I.: Inflating polyhedral surfaces. Department of Mathematics, MIT (2006)

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Marshall Bern.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Bern, M., Hayes, B. Origami Embedding of Piecewise-Linear Two-Manifolds. Algorithmica 59, 3–15 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00453-010-9399-8

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00453-010-9399-8

Keywords

Navigation