Acting out scenes from storybooks or animating real activities, these deceptively simple-looking, folded-paper toys leap, bounce, roll and hatch into action when played with.

Japanese designer Haruki Nakamura was inspired by the ancient art of kirigami, a variation on origami that involves cuts as well as folds, but takes it to the next level with his playful animals.

The specific behaviors of the toys often follow the natural reactions of a given animal, like an armadillo rolling itself up for protection when threatened.

Combining kirigami with karakuri, the art of mechanical puppets actived by touch, led him to these neat hybrid creatures that one can poke, prod, press or drop into action.

In some cases, the activities are innocent and entertaining, like a turtle popping into its shell or a chick hatching from an egg. Others are humorously sinister, showing wolves in sheep’s clothing or a tortoise being eaten by an alligator. For now, alas, these works are only available in Japan.

This mesmerizing mobile facade is an aesthetic and engineering marvel, but one has to wonder: could the mechanisms behind it be appropriated for other architectural purposes, like: providing light and shade on demand or on a schedule?

The dynamic design wraps a new cultural center in Shanghai, part of a 190,000-square-meter development by Foster + Partners in collaboration with Heatherwick Studio (images by Laurian Ghinitoiu).

It was inspired by Chinese theaters with bamboo-like bronze tubes set in three layers around the perimeter, constituting what the designers describe as “a moving veil, which adapts to the changing use of the building, and reveals the stage on the balcony and views towards Pudong.” The effect is certainly stunning, but despite the description, it seems to be mostly for show — an novelty experience for visitors and viewers.

The same kinds of systems, however, could be deployed more strategically, using other kinds of semi-opaque screens, for instance, that could automatically position themselves throughout the day to provide layers of shade. Such an application would have practical benefits, reducing cooling costs inside structures and increasing human comfort.

Alternatively, a similar screen system could be controllable by occupants, allowing building users to block off sections for things like meetings or film screenings requiring different amounts of natural light. For now, it remains a fascinating one-off work, but hopefully architects will consider adding this as a tool in their kit, applying similar technical sophistication to solve other site-specific design problems.

This bizarre new take on the Strandbeest bicycle isn’t going to get you from point A to point B much faster than a casual stroll, but it’s fun to watch, with the rear mechanical mechanism ‘walking’ in spider-like motions. Borrowing from the wind-powered kinetic sculptures pioneered by Dutch artist and engineer Theo Jansen, this new creation by Californian collective Carv is half bike, half beast with a front wheel, three functional legs and over 450 handmade components. The designers started with a simple blueprint of Theo Jansen’s rod-linking technique, which he describes as “skeletons which are able to walk on the wind.”

It took Carv a whole seven months to develop and build the bike, with the assembly of the rods alone taking three days. Whereas Jansen’s walking sculptures use sails and wind to generate movement, the bike uses pedal power. The designers used a single-speed bike from Walmart as the base and added the rear linkage. Get the technical details here.

An earlier version of the ‘walking bicycle’ by Hanno Smits also uses pedal power, but takes out both wheels, opting for a full walking mechanism that seems to navigate a little more smoothly. The Panterragaffe, a third version, is a two-person pedal-powered walking machine conceived as a public performance piece.

It’s hard to deny that Jansen’s original sculptures are just plain cooler and more interesting, though, no matter how many hybrid knock-offs people try to make. Still tempted to try it, or just want to know more about how they work? Jansen sells a few books as well as DVDs and miniature ‘beasts’ on the Strandbeest website.

There are no batteries or power cords needed to propel this steam train and a series of other mechanical models, which come in kits of laser-cut plywood so you can assemble them yourself. UGEARS might just be the ultimate gift to inspire future engineers, with its creators aiming to gin up curiosity about about all of the gears, pistons and wheels that make things work.

We’ve become so used to playing games on electronic touch screens, the inner workings of our gadgets out of sight, that we might just lose touch with the mechanics that have been in use for centuries, the creators say. “UGEARS realized the idea of modular mechanical models in which everything is real. It’s absolutely fascinating to see the true mechanical miracle coming to life in your hands giving you a glorious feeling of creation.”

Available models include a steam locomotive with a rubber band engine and rail stand, a tractor, a harvester, a mechanical theater and a working safe. Each kit comes with a set of plywood boards with precisely cut-out parts and detailed step-by-step instructions – you supply the rubber bands. No glue is necessary to assemble the parts. A special version of the locomotive is available for just a few more days on the UGEARS Kickstarter, where you can also check out lots more videos of the products in action.

No worries about anyone invading your personal space when you’re wearing this intricate 3D-printed dress, which extends animatronic spider-inspired arms when it senses another person’s presence nearby. ‘Spider Dress 2.0’ by Dutch designer Anouk Wipprecht responds with defensive gestures if anyone approaches too quickly, or come-hither motions to friendlier, slower-moving people.

Equipped with proximity and respiration monitors and an Intel Edison processor, the dress acts as a shield between the wearer and the outside world, interpreting the intentions of people who come near. The 3D-printed white components have a skeletal appearance, while LED lights add a bit more sci-fi appeal.

As seen in the video, the movements of the spider arms are creepily realistic. The design is an improvement upon Wipprecht’s ‘Spider Dress 1.0,’ which had a more mechanical appearance with arrow-like legs. The artist sees fashion as lacking in ‘microcontrollers,’ and seeks to combine fashion design with engineering, science and interaction.

The mechanisms that create the movement in Wipprecht’s wearable tech designs are left visible on the outside so viewers can “witness the designs creating their own unique forms of interaction, movement and meaning.”