MoFU Mighty Omega Folding Universe Ohun-ìṣeré Àlàfo by Yoshiaki Ito

MoFU Mighty Omega Folding Universe Ohun-ìṣeré Àlàfo by Yoshiaki Ito is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2020 Àmì-ẹ̀yẹ Wúrà A' Design Award in Àpẹẹrẹ Ohun-ìṣeré, Eré àti Ohun Àfẹ́ṣeré Competition Category.

WúràOhun-ìṣeré· 2020

MoFU Mighty Omega Folding Universe Ohun-ìṣeré Àlàfo

by Yoshiaki Ito

Client: MoFU

Àmì-ẹ̀yẹ Wúrà A' Design Award Winner in Ohun-ìṣeré Category

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The Design

About MoFU Mighty Omega Folding Universe Ohun-ìṣeré Àlàfo

Morphits (tí a mọ̀ tẹ́lẹ̀ sí MoFU) jẹ́ àwọn ohun-ìṣeré ìyípadà tí ó tún jẹ́ àlàfo ìdánwò ọpọlọ. Àwọn ohun-ìṣeré oníṣẹ́-cuboid yìí máa ń yọ jáde láti inú àpótí lórí drawer, wọ́n sì máa ń ṣí sílẹ̀ di oríṣiríṣi ẹranko bíi ẹlẹ́dẹ̀, ọ̀bọ, ẹkùn, erinmi, àti gẹẹfi. Ẹranko kọ̀ọ̀kan ní àwọn ẹ̀yà tirẹ̀ tí ó wùnilórí tí ó sì yàtọ̀, èyí tí ó mú wọn jẹ́ àwọn ohun-kíkọ tí ó fanimọ́ra. Síbẹ̀síbẹ̀, ìṣòro tòótọ́ wà nínú kíkọ̀ àwọn Morphits náà padà sínú ápẹrẹ cuboid tí ó tọ́, èyí tí ó nílò agbára ọpọlọ láti yanjú iṣẹ́ àlàfo tí ó jẹ́ mímú wọn padà bọ sínú àpótí wọn gangan.

The Recognition

About the Àmì-ẹ̀yẹ Wúrà A' Design Award

MoFU Mighty Omega Folding Universe Ohun-ìṣeré Àlàfo jẹ́ olùborí Àmì-ẹ̀yẹ Wúrà A' Design Award, ìdánimọ̀ olókìkí gan-an tí a fún àwọn àwòṣe ìpele àkọ́kọ́, tó jẹ́ ìyanu tó sì yàtọ̀. Àwọn olùborí Wúrà jẹ́ àwọn ẹ̀dá tó ní ìmúṣẹ̀dá tuntun gidigidi, tó ní ojú-ìwòye tó jìnnà tó sì ń tàn yòò tí wọ́n ń ṣàfihàn ọgbọ́n, òye àti ìjáfáfá àwọn olùṣàwòṣe wọn. A retí pé MoFU Mighty Omega Folding Universe Ohun-ìṣeré Àlàfo yóò jẹ́ ohun ìmúṣẹ̀dá tí a yìn gidigidi, tó ń gbé ìtẹ̀sí kalẹ̀ tó sì jẹ́ ìrántí tó ń mú iye tí a kò rí rí wá. Àwòṣe tó borí Àmì-ẹ̀yẹ Wúrà A' Design Award yìí jẹ́ iṣẹ́ àkànṣe tó yani lẹ́nu tí a bọ̀wọ̀ fún tó ṣe anfàní gidigidi tó sì ń tì ààlà iṣẹ́ ọnà, sáyẹ́ǹsì, àwòṣe àti ìmọ̀-ẹ̀rọ síwájú. MoFU Mighty Omega Folding Universe Ohun-ìṣeré Àlàfo ń dá ìmọ̀lára ìfẹ́ tó lágbára sílẹ̀, ń jí ìtara, ń gbé ìṣẹ̀dá lárugẹ tó sì ń fà wá mọ́ra.

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