From Knitting Technology to Robotics: Untethered Thermally Actuated Textile Exoskeleton for Dexterity Applications

Area of Science:

• Robotics
• Materials Science
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Existing soft wearable robotic devices face challenges with bulkiness, scalability, and portability.
• Human mobility assistance and rehabilitation require advanced, user-friendly robotic solutions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a textile-based exoskeleton glove with thermally driven actuators.
• To achieve dexterous motion with high energy efficiency and low operating temperature.
• To demonstrate a scalable and portable solution for wearable robotics.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing low-boiling-point liquids for phase transition-based actuation.
• Employing digital machine knitting with functional yarns for seamless integration of sensing and actuation.
• Integrating thermally driven actuators into a textile-based glove structure.

Main Results:

• Achieved dexterous motion in under 12 seconds with only 10.8 W power consumption.
• Maintained a low operating temperature of 48 °C, surpassing previous systems.
• Demonstrated 270° bending, 2 N gripping force, and energy efficiency.
• Successfully mounted on an industrial robotic arm for object manipulation.

Conclusions:

• The developed glove offers a quick-response, scalable, and energy-efficient solution for wearable robotics.
• This technology has significant potential for human mobility assistance and rehabilitation.
• The textile-based design enables untethered, portable, and integrated robotic functionalities.