Modern technological progress and growing environmental challenges demand materials that are not only stronger and lighter, but also adaptive and resilient. S-FOAM addresses this need by rethinking how materials are designed. Instead of relying on conventional structures, the project embeds origami design into architected cellular materials, enabling active shape change and mechanical reconfiguration. The central idea of S-FOAM is to create metamaterials that can self-fold and morph when stimulated by their environment. Rather than prescribing deformation solely through predefined crease patterns, S-FOAM exploits mechanical instabilities within the material to guide controlled folding and shape transformation. These deformations are influenced by geometric frustration and carefully engineered microstructural features. In this way, the material can reconfigure its shape in response to external actions, adapting its stiffness, strength, and overall mechanical performance. To achieve this, S-FOAM pursues three interconnected objectives. First, it develops analytical models to design origami unit cells combined with micro-lattice architectures. Second, it creates advanced computational tools to simulate and optimize folding behaviour. Third, it fabricates and experimentally tests proof-of-concept prototypes to validate the theoretical predictions. By integrating solid mechanics theory, simulations, and experiments, S-FOAM establishes a predictive framework for programmable metamaterials. Applications include soft robotic grippers, wearable devices, and adaptive medical tools. Through this approach, S-FOAM advances a new direction in material design, where geometry enables controlled and programmable mechanical response.
