Surreal illustration of soft robotics merging biology and technology.

Soft Robots: The Wearable Tech Revolution You Need to Know About

Lena Kashyap in Tech & Innovation September 2025 • 4 min read.

"Dive into the groundbreaking world of soft actuators and wearable mechatronics, exploring how these innovations promise comfortable, effective rehabilitation and strength augmentation."

Imagine a future where rehabilitation devices are not bulky and cumbersome, but instead, seamlessly integrated into clothing, providing gentle yet effective support. This is the promise of wearable mechatronics, a field that's rapidly evolving thanks to innovations in soft robotics and smart actuators. For individuals with musculoskeletal disorders, these advancements could mean more comfortable and accessible long-term physical therapy.

Traditional mechatronic devices often rely on rigid actuators, which can limit their size and weight, hindering their integration into wearable form factors. However, a new generation of 'soft actuators' are changing the game. These actuators, made from flexible materials like nylon thread, offer the potential to create devices that are not only effective but also comfortable and unobtrusive.

One particularly promising soft actuator is the Twisted Coiled Actuator (TCA). TCAs are created by hyper-twisting and coiling flexible threads, and when thermally activated, they contract and generate force. This unique mechanism makes them ideal for applications requiring natural, responsive movements. However, challenges remain, particularly in managing the thermal activation process to achieve optimal performance.

What Makes Twisted Coiled Actuators (TCAs) a Game Changer?

Surreal illustration of soft robotics merging biology and technology.

Biological muscles are the gold standard for movement, offering a unique combination of flexibility, high torsion, and variable compliance. This allows the body to absorb impact and prevent injury. In the world of robotics, replicating these properties is key to creating safer and more effective human-interactive systems. Whether it's a wearable device designed to enhance muscle strength or a robotic arm working alongside humans in a factory, the ability to comply with unexpected forces is crucial.

Conventional rigid actuators and electric motors often fall short in this regard. Variable Stiffness Actuators (VSAs) offer a solution by allowing devices to adjust their stiffness on the fly. While some VSAs rely on complex mechanical systems, TCAs provide a simpler, more biomimetic approach.

Biomimetic Design: TCAs mimic the behavior of natural muscle fibers, offering a more organic and intuitive interaction.
Lightweight Materials: Constructed from materials like nylon, TCAs contribute to lighter, more comfortable wearable devices.
Potential for Seamless Integration: Their flexible nature allows for seamless integration into clothing and other wearable form factors.

Despite their potential, TCAs face some limitations. One key challenge is their thermal activation mechanism. Heating and cooling the actuator to control its movement can be slow, limiting its bandwidth or speed. Furthermore, the efficiency of converting electrical energy into mechanical work is relatively low. Overcoming these challenges is crucial to unlocking the full potential of TCAs in wearable technology.

The Future of Soft Actuators

The research outlined in this study represents a significant step towards optimizing the design of TCAs for wearable applications. By using computational fluid dynamics to analyze and improve the cooling process, researchers are paving the way for faster, more efficient, and ultimately more practical soft actuators. As the field continues to evolve, we can expect to see even more innovative applications of these technologies, transforming the way we approach rehabilitation, assistive devices, and human-machine interaction.

About this Article -

This article was crafted using a human-AI hybrid and collaborative approach. AI assisted our team with initial drafting, research insights, identifying key questions, and image generation. Our human editors guided topic selection, defined the angle, structured the content, ensured factual accuracy and relevance, refined the tone, and conducted thorough editing to deliver helpful, high-quality information.See our About page for more information.

This article is based on research published under:

DOI-LINK: 10.1109/biorob.2018.8488157, Alternate LINK

Title: Computational Fluid Dynamics Study Of A Soft Actuator For Use In Wearable Mechatronic Devices

Journal: 2018 7th IEEE International Conference on Biomedical Robotics and Biomechatronics (Biorob)

Publisher: IEEE

Authors: Brandon P.R. Edmonds, Ana Luisa Trejos

Published: 2018-08-01

Everything You Need To Know

What are soft actuators and why are they important in wearable technology?

Soft actuators are a new generation of actuators made from flexible materials like nylon thread, designed to overcome the limitations of traditional rigid actuators. They are crucial in wearable technology because they allow for the creation of devices that are comfortable, unobtrusive, and can be seamlessly integrated into clothing. Unlike conventional electric motors, soft actuators offer the potential for more natural, responsive movements, which is particularly beneficial in applications like rehabilitation and strength augmentation where flexibility and comfort are paramount. The use of Twisted Coiled Actuators (TCAs) as a type of soft actuator further enhances these benefits.

How do Twisted Coiled Actuators (TCAs) work, and what makes them unique?

Twisted Coiled Actuators (TCAs) are created by hyper-twisting and coiling flexible threads, such as nylon. When thermally activated, TCAs contract and generate force, enabling movement in wearable devices. Their uniqueness lies in their biomimetic design, mimicking the behavior of natural muscle fibers. This design provides a more organic and intuitive interaction compared to conventional rigid actuators. TCAs are lightweight and flexible, allowing for seamless integration into wearable form factors. The mechanism relies on thermal activation, which, when optimized, will enhance the speed and efficiency of the device.

What are the main advantages of using TCAs over conventional actuators in wearable devices?

TCAs offer several advantages over conventional actuators. Firstly, they are biomimetic, meaning they mimic the functionality of biological muscles, providing more natural and intuitive movements. Secondly, their lightweight construction, often using materials like nylon, leads to lighter and more comfortable wearable devices. Finally, their flexible nature allows for seamless integration into clothing and other wearable form factors, unlike the rigid structures of traditional actuators. The combination of these factors makes TCAs well-suited for applications like rehabilitation, where comfort and natural movement are critical.

What are the challenges associated with TCAs and how are researchers addressing them?

One of the key challenges of TCAs is their thermal activation mechanism. Heating and cooling the actuator to control its movement can be slow, which limits its speed or bandwidth. Another challenge is the relatively low efficiency in converting electrical energy into mechanical work. Researchers are addressing these challenges by optimizing the design of TCAs, particularly focusing on improving the cooling process through computational fluid dynamics. This effort aims to make TCAs faster, more efficient, and more practical for wearable applications. Overcoming these challenges is crucial to unlocking the full potential of TCAs in wearable technology.

How could soft robots and TCAs change the future of rehabilitation and assistive devices?

Soft robots and TCAs promise to revolutionize rehabilitation and assistive devices by providing more comfortable, accessible, and effective solutions. Unlike bulky and cumbersome traditional devices, soft robots can be seamlessly integrated into clothing, offering gentle yet effective support. TCAs, as a key component of soft robots, enable natural, responsive movements, closely mimicking human muscle behavior. This technology has the potential to improve the quality of life for individuals with musculoskeletal disorders by providing more user-friendly and effective long-term physical therapy options. Future applications could extend to strength augmentation, human-machine interaction, and other areas where flexible and adaptable devices are needed.