Abstract: A mechanism includes at least one module (M1) having a tubular structure with at least three faces, each of said faces comprising: two parallel longitudinal fibers (1, 4), rigid and inextensible, whose ends are connected through respective ball or elastic joints (0-1; 4-0) to the ends of the fibers of contiguous modules, or to a base (0); a transverse link (2) connecting said two longitudinal fibers, having a first end rigidly connected to said first fiber and a second end slidably connected to said second fiber, said transverse link being inextensible and having two rotational degrees of freedom; a longitudinal link (32) connecting said transverse link to a homologous transverse link of an adjacent module or to a base via a ball or elastic joint (32-0) and an universal joint (3-32); and an actuator (A) for changing the length of said longitudinal link.

Abstract: A mechanism includes at least one module (M1) having a tubular structure with at least three faces, each of said faces comprising: two parallel longitudinal fibers (1, 4), rigid and inextensible, whose ends are connected through respective ball or elastic joints (0-1; 4-0) to the ends of the fibers of contiguous modules, or to a base (0); a transverse link (2) connecting said two longitudinal fibers, having a first end rigidly connected to said first fiber and a second end slidably connected to said second fiber, said transverse link being inextensible and having two rotational degrees of freedom; a longitudinal link (32) connecting said transverse link to a homologous transverse link of an adjacent module or to a base via a ball or elastic joint (32-0) and an universal joint (3-32); and an actuator (A) for changing the length of said longitudinal link.