HardwareX: An Open-Source Membrane Stretcher for Simultaneous Mechanical and Structural Characterizations of Soft Materials and Biological Tissues

In this work, we introduce an open-source stretching system that can apply uniaxial strain at a sub-μm resolution, report the tensile force response of the sample, and be mounted on an inverted microscope for real-time imaging. Our system consists of a pair of stepper-based linear motors that stretch the sample symmetrically, a force transducer that records the sample tensile force, and an optically clear sample holder that allows for high-magnification microscopy. These files include the part files designed for this specific instrument that can be both manufactured and 3D-printed. There are also the files .dll and .vi files required to run the software control panel in LabVIEW to operate the instrument, perform analysis, and acquire data.