Tonazzini, AliceMintchev, StefanoFloreano, Dario2017-11-012017-11-012017-11-012017https://infoscience.epfl.ch/handle/20.500.14299/141702A variable stiffness device, including a core including a low melting point alloy, an encapsulation surrounding the core, the encapsulation made of an elastic material and sealing the core, and a heating device arranged around the encapsulation, configured to heat the core, wherein the elastic material of the encapsulation is subject to a tensile stress in a direction along a longitudinal extension of the thread-like variable stiffness device.patentUS10113537US2017292502WO201717517458699191