It is the ultimate dream for campers. A lightweight, flat-pack home which pops into perfect alignment after being plucked from a backpack.
Now engineers at Harvard University have invented a material which could make it possible.
The material is made from tiny cubes which can fold down flat or pop-up to create stiff, three dimensional walls. And the structure can change depending on what it is needed for.
For campers it could mean adding room dividers where necessary or doubling up on wall thickness if it was cold or windy. It could also allow windows to appear at the touch of a button, as the cubes fold back to allow in light.
The material is so ingenious it can fold flat to withstand the weight of an elephant without breaking, and pop right back up to prepare for the next task.