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

Abstract

Abstract Soft wearable robotic devices offer significant potential for human mobility assistance and rehabilitation; however, existing solutions are often hindered by bulkiness, limited scalability, and restricted portability. This study introduces a textile‐based exoskeleton glove equipped with thermally driven actuators, achieving dexterous motion in under 12 s using only 10.8 W of power while maintaining a low operating temperature of 48 °C. This performance surpasses the fastest previously reported system in terms of power input and operating temperature, which achieved actuation in 10 s but required 15 W and operated at 100 °C. In comparison, recent studies report response times of 120 s, with 14 W consumption and temperatures near 95 °C. The actuators utilize low‐boiling‐point liquids that undergo phase transitions upon heating, enabling fast, untethered actuation without external systems. The seamless knitted structure integrates sensing and actuation functionalities, including self‐return to initial position capability. This is achieved through digital machine knitting of specific patterns using functional yarns. The actuators demonstrate 270° bending, generating 2 N gripping force while maintaining energy consumption efficiency. The glove is mountable on an industrial robotic arm, demonstrating its ability to grasp and relocate objects. This study presents a quick‐response, scalable, energy‐efficient solution for wearable robotics.