Origami robots, systems, and methods of treatment

1. A method of treatment, comprising: delivering an origami robot encapsulated in a folded position by an encapsulation material into a gastrointestinal tract of a patient, wherein the origami robot comprises a foldable body portion comprising one or more folds, slits, or patches of material configured to move in response to an external stimulus;

causing the origami robot to unfold to an operable, unfolded position within the gastrointestinal tract by removing the encapsulation material and unfolding the foldable body portion; and

directing the origami robot in the operable, unfolded position to a site requiring treatment in the gastrointestinal tract by subjecting the origami robot to the external stimulus to manipulate one or more of the folds, slits, or patches of material,

wherein the external stimulus is external to the patient, and

wherein the foldable body portion of the origami robot remains integral during the unfolding from the folded position to the operable, unfolded position and during the directing the origami robot in the operable, unfolded position to the site requiring treatment.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the site requiring treatment comprises a wound.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein:

the wound is at least partially formed by an ingested button battery, and

the method further comprises the origami robot removing the button battery from the site.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising releasing an active pharmaceutical ingredient from the origami robot to the site requiring treatment.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the encapsulation material comprises a biocompatible material that is dissolvable or meltable within the gastrointestinal tract,

and wherein causing the origami robot to unfold by removing the encapsulation material comprises dissolving or melting the biocompatible material.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein:

the biocompatible material is ice, and

causing the origami robot to unfold comprises melting the ice.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein directing the origami robot to the site requiring treatment comprises manipulating the origami robot with one or more external magnetic fields.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the one or more external magnetic fields are effective to induce stick-slip motion of the origami robot.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein delivering the origami robot to the gastrointestinal tract comprises injecting the origami robot into the gastrointestinal tract or the patient swallowing the origami robot.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the body portion of the origami robot in the operable, unfolded position settling at the site requiring treatment to patch a wound at the site.

11. A system for medical treatment, comprising an origami robot encapsulated in a folded position by an encapsulation material for ingestion into a gastrointestinal tract of a patient,

wherein the origami robot comprises a foldable body portion comprising one or more folds, slits, or patches of material configured to move in response to an external stimulus,

wherein the external stimulus is external to the patient,

wherein the origami robot is configured to unfold to an operable, unfolded position within the gastrointestinal tract by removing the encapsulation material and unfolding the foldable body portion,

wherein the origami robot in the operable, unfolded position is configured to be directed to a site requiring treatment in the gastrointestinal tract by subjecting the origami robot to the external stimulus to manipulate one or more of the folds, slits, or patches of material, and

wherein the foldable body portion of the origami robot remains integral during the unfolding from the folded position to the operable, unfolded position and during the directing the origami robot in the operable, unfolded position to the site requiring treatment.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the encapsulation material comprises a biocompatible material that is dissolvable or meltable within the gastrointestinal tract, and

wherein the origami robot is configured to unfold upon dissolving or melting of the material.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the biocompatible material is ice and the origami robot is configured to unfold upon melting of the ice.

14. The system of claim 11 , wherein the foldable body portion comprises an actuation material layer and a structural material layer.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the actuation material layer comprises a heat sensitive film.

16. The system of claim 14 , wherein the structural material layer comprises an organic animal tissue material.

17. The system of claim 14 , wherein the foldable body portion further comprises a layer comprising an active pharmaceutical ingredient configured to be released following ingestion of the origami robot.

18. The system of claim 11 , wherein the origami robot comprises a magnet configured to retrieve a button battery in the gastrointestinal tract of the patient.

19. The system of claim 11 , further comprising an external system comprising the external stimulus for magnetically manipulating the origami robot following its ingestion.

20. The system of claim 19 , wherein the external system is effective to induce a stick-slip motion of the origami robot in the gastrointestinal tract of the patient.

21. A method of treatment, comprising:

delivering an origami robot encapsulated in a folded position by an encapsulation material into a gastrointestinal tract of a patient, wherein the origami robot comprises a foldable body portion comprising one or more folds, slits, or patches of material configured to move in response to an external stimulus;

causing the origami robot to unfold to an operable, unfolded position within the gastrointestinal tract by removing the encapsulation material and unfolding the foldable body portion;

directing the origami robot in the operable, unfolded position to a site requiring treatment in the gastrointestinal tract by subjecting the origami robot to the external stimulus to manipulate one or more of the folds, slits, or patches of material; and

therapeutically treating the site requiring treatment with the origami robot,

wherein the external stimulus is external to the patient, and

wherein the foldable body portion of the origami robot remains integral during the unfolding from the folded position to the operable, unfolded position and during the directing the origami robot in the operable, unfolded position to the site requiring treatment.

22. The method of claim 21 , wherein the site requiring treatment comprises a wound.

23. The method of claim 22 , wherein:

the wound is at least partially formed by an ingested button battery, and

wherein the therapeutically treating the site requiring treatment comprises the origami robot in the operable, unfolded position removing the button battery from the site.

24. The method of claim 22 , further comprising the body portion of the origami robot in the operable, unfolded position settling at the site requiring treatment to patch the wound.

25. The method of claim 21 , wherein therapeutically treating the site requiring treatment comprises releasing an active pharmaceutical ingredient from the origami robot in the operable, unfolded position to the site requiring treatment.