robo-fabric

the shape memory alloy nitinol has the ability to spring back to its original forged shape when heated, allowing soft actuation without motors. italian fashion designers grado zero made a shirt that rolled up its own sleeves when the wire (and the wearer) overheat (above). later joanna berzowska and marcelo coelho made kukkia and vilkas, two garments where the thin metal wires are woven into clothing for different kinetic effects. in kukkia, ornamental felt flowers containing a coil of nitinol wire open and close through a tiny circuit and lithium battery. vilkas, like the shirt, raises and lowers the hem through vertical strands of wire in a gauze section of dress.