MoFU Mighty Omega Folding Universe Joguet-Enigma by Yoshiaki Ito

MoFU Mighty Omega Folding Universe Joguet-Enigma by Yoshiaki Ito is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2020 A' Design Award d'Aur in Joguèt Competition Category.

AurJoguèt· 2020

MoFU Mighty Omega Folding Universe Joguet-Enigma

by Yoshiaki Ito

Client: MoFU

A' Design Award d'Aur Winner in Joguèt Category

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The Design

About MoFU Mighty Omega Folding Universe Joguet-Enigma

Los Morphits (ancianament coneguts jos lo nom de MoFU) son de joguets transformables que servissan tanben d'enigmas casse-tèsta. Aqueles joguets en forma de cuboïde deslisan de las boitas coma de tiradòrs e se desplejan en divèrses animals: pòrcs, simiis, tigres, ipopòtams e girafas. Cada animal possedís de caracteristicas adorablas e distintivas que l'en fan un personatge encantaire. Pasmens, lo verai desafís consistís a replejar los Morphits per los tornar metre dins la forma cuboïdala corrècta, çò que demanda d'inteligéncia per resòlver l'enigma de los ajustar precisament dins lors boitas.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award d'Aur

MoFU Mighty Omega Folding Universe Joguet-Enigma a ganhat la distincion A' Design Award d'Aur, una reconeissença immensament prestigiosa acordada a de designs de primièra qualitat, meravilhoses e excellents. Los ganhaires de l'Aur son de creacions extrèmament innovantas, visionàrias e esbleugissentas, que reflectisson lo prodigi, la sabença e la proeça de lors designers. S'espèra que MoFU Mighty Omega Folding Universe Joguet-Enigma siá una invencion fòrça lausada, que dintra de tendéncias e monumentala, que provesís un valor sens precedent. Aqueste design ganhaire de la distincion A' Design Award d'Aur es un projècte espectaclós e respectat, que fa un grand ben e fa avançar las frontièras de l'art, de la sciéncia, del design e de la tecnologia. MoFU Mighty Omega Folding Universe Joguet-Enigma crea de sentiments intensos de desirs, evòca la passion, encoratja la creativitat e fascina.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties: MoFU are transforming toys that are also brainteaser puzzles. Starting as identically shaped cuboids that slide out of boxes on drawers, each MoFU unfolds into a different kind of animal - pig, monkey, tiger, hippo, and giraffe. Each animal is its own character with cute and iconic features, but each is also a distinct puzzle. Folding a MoFU back into the correct cuboid shape so it can perfectly fit back into its box is a brainteasing challenge.
Dimensions & Packaging: 85mm x 70mm x 60mm when folded in their 3D-printed boxes and at their most compact. Dimensions change with various poses. The maximum possible height is the fully unfolded giraffe at 370mm, and the minimum possible height is a fully recumbent monkey at 35mm.
Tags: Toys, Animals, Ecology, Recycled, Plastic, Geometric, Abstract, Transforming, Brainteaser, Puzzle
Production Technology: MoFU are 3D-printed using 100% recycled PET plastic from water bottles using selective laser sintering (SLS) 3D printing. The 3D-printed pieces of the toy are united by elastic bands which run through the center of each piece. The pieces are finished with polyshot surfacing and deep-dye coloring for safe use by children and maximum lifespan.
Design Challenge: I had to think about the shape of each piece very carefully and how it could fit with its neighboring piece like a three-dimensional jigsaw puzzle. Additionally all of the pieces had to be folded together into the rectangular shape of their box.
Research: Each piece of each toy had to be precisely shaped to fit with its neighboring piece like a 3D jigsaw puzzle. Pieces that approximate parts of an animal body must also be folded and nestled in a specific way, fitting perfectly together to revert to a cuboid shape.

Finding the perfect tension of the elastic bands was difficult as the pieces must freely rotate and fold, but not be at all loose. The holes bored for the bands had to be precise to the half-millimeter for the toy to function properly.
Inspiration: Japanese origami, Kumiki puzzles, Transformers.
Project Duration: MoFU project development started in Brooklyn, NY in April 2018. The first animal, a pig, was created in May 2018; the monkey was finished in September 2018; the tiger in December 2018, the hippo in March 2019, and the giraffe in Jun 2019.
Operation Flow: MoFU emerge from identically shaped boxes, but each transforms into a different animal figure with articulated joints. Elastic bands form the animals' tendons and ligaments, allowing maximum transformability and infinite possible poses.

The toys are figurines, but they are also puzzles with varying degrees of difficulty. Folding them back into the correct cuboid shape so that they can fit back into their boxes ranges from simple for a child hippo to difficult for an adult monkey.
Patents: Yoshiaki Ito
Image Credits: Photgrapes by Yoshiaki Ito, Video by Aria Wetzler and Yana Birykova