Origami, the ancient art of paper folding, has inspired the design of engineering devices and
structures for decades. The underlying principles of origami are very general, which has led to
applications ranging from cardboard containers to deployable space structures. More recently,
researchers have become interested in the use of active materials (i.e., those that convert various
forms of energy into mechanical work) to effect the desired folding behavior. When used in a
suitable geometry, active materials allow engineers to create self-folding structures. Such
structures are capable of performing folding and/or unfolding operations without being kinematically
manipulated by external forces or moments. This is advantageous for many applications including
space systems, underwater robotics, small scale devices, and self-assembling systems. This article
is a survey and analysis of prior work on active self-folding structures as well as methods and
tools available for the de...