By Your Powers Combined!

Hexaflexagon, what!?

So,
I saw this video today, and aside from being very impressed and mind-blown, I asked myself where was this when I was growing up. Not only is this a very well done video, with the production and all, it's also informative. VERY informative. Allow me to show you the video from Youtube user Vihart:

It gets the creative juices flowing. How can something like this be incorporated into designing papercraft? How can we break the threshold of static designs into something more interactive and innovativve? How!?

Origami hearts Papercraft

Combing ideas isn't old. Here, one artist combines the two ideas of "Origami" and "Papercraft", and does it successfully. Yes, it's only a subtle technique, but,  it is a very powerful one. See for yourself in the Scorpion Robot papertoy by MCK:

(Photo by MCK)

If you don't know what I'm referring to, look at the legs of the scorpion robot. The legs are the very basic "Valley-fold" meets "Mountain-fold". This type of fold turns a flat piece of paper into a sturdy leg structure. And, with the application of several more, you are capable of building larger and even off balanced models.
This is indeed an innovation that deserves more exploration!

Future Applications

Papercraft has the potential to grow beyond game rips, 3d models and one pattern series. 

With a little incorporation of origami into papercraft, it evolves two worlds. 

So, what does the future hold for the papercraft world?

I don't know...But, I am constantly looking for new ideas like the two I've explored today. Really inspiring stuff!