This paper proposes a new two-degrees-of-freedom (dof) cable-actuated mechanism which can be utilized for lightweight variable-stiffness manipulators. Using numerical methods, a kinematic model for the proposed mechanism is derived for determining the mechanism’s configurations and cable lengths for a pair of independent task-space variables. The numerical algorithm used for estimating the workspace is cross-validated with a virtual prototype of the mechanism using ONSHAPE®. The work presented in the paper concludes with the static modelling of the mechanism, which yielded insights regarding the magnitude of the actuation forces, depending on the desired wrench-feasible workspace of the mechanism. © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.