Thin panels with inflatable pneumatic cells allow for bending flat structures in desired ways

https://techxplore.com/news/2023-08-thin-panels-inflatable-pneumatic-cells.html

"without wrinkling or cutting... inspired by plant leaves and petals morphing... shape-morphing structure based on Gaussian cells... 3D printed inflatable trapezoidal channels inside flat panel, then sandwiched between 2 layers airtight material. As air pumped into center of sandwich, flat surfaces above and below were pushed and stretched into new shapes with unique Gaussian curvatures. By altering the size and shape of the trapezoids, the researchers were able to alter the 3D shapes that they could form"