Our daily news digest will keep you up to date with engineering, science and technology news, Monday to Saturday.
By subscribing, you agree to our Terms of Use and Policies You may unsubscribe at any time.
Researchers at École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) have revealed a technique that can potentially transform wearable and soft robotics.
Creating lightweight soft robotics or wearable devices without compromising on functionality has long been a challenge. Using heavy materials not only requires more energy to move around but also causes discomfort, especially in wearables or prostheses.
Elastomers have emerged as a popular material for such applications. These are synthetic polymers with a range of mechanical properties from stiff to stretchy. However, manufacturing polymers that can be shaped into complex 3D structures with variable stiffness has been a considerable hurdle. That is, until now.
According to Esther Amstad, head of the Soft Materials Laboratory in EPFL’s School of Engineering, “Elastomers are usually cast so that …