pullsturing
Pullsturing is a technique for shaping and reconfiguring flexible media by coordinated pulling actions that redistribute internal tension. It encompasses methods where a network of drawcords, threads, or actuated tendons is used to apply spatially varying forces, enabling controlled deformation without cutting, stitching, or thermal shaping. The concept is applicable to textiles, thin films, polymer networks, and soft robotic components, and is often considered within the broader field of tension-based morphing or programmable matter.
In practice, pullsturing can be implemented as passive pull through manual manipulation of strings or as an
Applications include adjustable fashion and upholstery, morphing architectural elements, and soft robotic grippers or shells. In
Advantages include reversibility, fine-grained control over local deformation, and avoidance of permanent alterations. Limitations involve material