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MoFU Mighty Omega Folding Universe Kaulinan Tatarucingan by Yoshiaki Ito

MoFU Mighty Omega Folding Universe Kaulinan Tatarucingan by Yoshiaki Ito is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2020 A' Design Award Emas in Kaulinan Competition Category.


EmasKaulinan· 2020

MoFU Mighty Omega Folding Universe Kaulinan Tatarucingan

by Yoshiaki Ito

Client: MoFU

A' Design Award Emas Winner in Kaulinan Category

77,065

Verified Award Winner

Verify Award Status for #100594

Colors

The Design

About MoFU Mighty Omega Folding Universe Kaulinan Tatarucingan

Morphits (baheula dipikawanoh salaku MoFU) mangrupikeun kaulinan transformasi anu ogé jadi tatarucingan otak. Kaulinan bentuk kuboid ieu ngagelincir kaluar tina kotak dina laci sarta mekaran jadi rupa-rupa sato kawas babi, monyét, macan, kuda nil, jeung jerapah. Unggal sato miboga ciri-ciri anu pikaresepeun tur has, ngajadikeun aranjeunna karakter anu matak. Nanging, tangtangan sabenerna perenahna dina ngalipet deui Morphits kana bentuk kuboid anu bener, merlukeun kamampuh otak pikeun ngaréngsékeun tugas tatarucingan sangkan bisa dipasang deui kalayan pas kana kotakna.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award Emas

MoFU Mighty Omega Folding Universe Kaulinan Tatarucingan mangrupa juara A' Design Award Emas, pangakuan anu pohara bergengsi anu dipasihkeun ka desain kelas kahiji, ngaranjing jeung unggul. Para juara Emas téh kréasi anu pohara inovatif, visionér jeung matak ngacung anu ngagambarkeun kajeniusan, hikmah jeung kaahlian para désainerna. MoFU Mighty Omega Folding Universe Kaulinan Tatarucingan diharepkeun jadi panemuan anu pohara dipuji, pelopor tren, sarta monumental anu méré nilai anu can kungsi aya. Desain juara A' Design Award Emas ieu mangrupa proyék spéktakulér tur dihormat anu pohara mangpaatna sarta ngamajukeun watesan seni, élmu, desain jeung téknologi. MoFU Mighty Omega Folding Universe Kaulinan Tatarucingan nyiptakeun rasa hayang anu kuat, ngahudang gairah, ngadorong kréativitas, jeung ngagumkeun urang.

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

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