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The first-of-its-kind origami antenna “tree” model is introduced in this paper, enabling the integration of multiple 3D antennas with a minimal interference and an on-demand reconfigurability of frequency, polarization and radiation pattern to optimize performance in dynamically changing environments. EGaIn, a liquid metal alloy(LMA) is used to switch between antennas and to enable flexible implementations. An origami structure, the zipper tube, coupled with Voronoi topology implementations is utilized as the scaffolding structure facilitating the mechanical tuning of the radiation pattern while minimizing storage requirements. The “tree” was fabricated by 3D printing, enabling on-demand fast-prototyping and low-cost manufacturing. A proof-of-concept two-antennas “tree” (zigzag/helical antenna) was presented, featuring a dual-band (3GHz/5GHz) operability and different polarizations (linear/circular) along with varying radiation patterns with “tree” compression. The “tree” can be applied to various dynamically changing scenaria such as wireless communications, collapsible/portable radars, satellite communications, while it can also realize numerous other reconfigurable RF components, such as filters, reflectors and shielding structures.

A state-of-the-art fully Inkjet-printed tunable frequency selective surface on cellulose paper is presented, which uses a Miura origami structure for an on-demand linear variation in inter-element distance and the effective length of the resonant dipole elements, resulting in an observable shift in the operational frequency of the structure. The dipole elements are placed on the foldlines along with special “bridge-like” structures to realize first-of-its-kind truly flexible conductive traces over sharp bends. Simulation and measurement results show that the Miura-FSS can be tuned to a wide range of frequencies and features a large angle of incidence rejection.