Publication

Variable stiffness strip with strain sensing for wearable robotics

Abstract

Variable stiffness technologies help to solve the conflicting requirements of strength, comfort, and safety in soft exoskeletons. Here, we propose a modular variable stiffness strip based on layer jamming as a mechanical solution to constrain users' degrees of freedom and/or to implement wearable anchor points. Equipped with integrated capacitive strain sensors in the longitudinal direction, the strip is 30 mm wide and 3 mm thick and has a modular design that enables its adaptability to different morphologies and force requirements. If negative pressure in the order of tens of KPa is applied, the strip undergoes a stiffness change by a factor of 600, thus ranging between stretchability typical of elastane and inextensibility up to a maximum resisting force of 60 N. The versatility of the strip is shown by integration in an upper body exosuit.

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