PURPOSE: To obtain a grasping apparatus for a lightweight or soft article or a movement-direction changing apparatus for a lightweight article by using heat- sensitive deformable elements.

CONSTITUTION: The basic part 5 of a plate-shaped heat-sensitive deformable element 4 made of the metal having a high expansion rate, thermal deformable alloy, or bimetal is fixed onto the base part 3 of a substrate 1, and a recirculation tube 6 is closely fitted onto the upper-surface side of the plate-shaped heat-sensitive deformable element 4. At the top edge part 8, a bulged part 9 made of plastic or rubber is formed into a grip part, and when hot water or hot wind is supplied into the recirculation tube 6, said heat-sensitive deformable element 4 is deformed, and an article can be grasped between the substrate top edge part 2 and the bulged part 9. When cold water or cold wind is supplied, said top edge part 2 and the bulged part 9 are separated each other. This mechanism can be utilized for the change of the direction of movement of an article by removing the substrate 1, and the operation like hands snd fingers can be secured by combining 4 or 5 pieces of these elements.