Muscle wire, also known as memory wire is a titanium nickel alloy that returns to a preset shape at a preset temperature. When the wire cools, it goes back to a non-programmed shape.
Harold, Sky and I used muscle wire to make a curtain that "breathes." We wired the memory alloy into a pattern on a fabric called alum-glo. When its hot outside, a 12 volt current runs through the each of these flaps on the curtain and closes them to block sunlight; when there's no direct sun the curtain begins to open up again.
We're still working on this prototype, I'll post up any significant updates on the Living Curtain.
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