HaptiYarn: Development of an Actuator Yarn That Can Transform Everyday Textiles Into Haptic Devices

A method of providing localised haptic feedback at precise locations on the body, utilising a lightweight textile garment is presented in this short paper. The textile comprises of subtly integrated actuator yarns (HaptiYarns) which are controlled by electropneumatic circuitry. Each yarn has two functional layers, an inner porous textile layer with limited extensibility and a second, durable outer layer made from an extensible elastomer. The HaptiYarns can provide radial forces and a maximum radial displacement of 28.09 ± 0.14 mm. It was found that the intrinsic addition of graphite powder (5% by weight), during elastomer preparation, offered better resistance to layer delamination and increased the ability of the yarn to withstand higher internal air pressures by 48%. Both the graphite-filled composite and the graphite free yarns demonstrated high durability, withstanding cyclic testing of >7500 cycles while having no significant impact on the force feedback. Finally, a wearable prototype knitted textile garment is presented with eight HaptiYarns subtly integrated within it and connected to a virtual reality (VR) program providing an immersive haptic experience. These yarns offer the potential to transform everyday clothing into wearable haptic devices with potential to revolutionise healthcare, VR-based training, gaming, and entertainment sectors.