Login (DCU Staff Only)
Login (DCU Staff Only)

DORAS | DCU Research Repository

Explore open access research and scholarly works from DCU

Advanced Search

Design and Development of a Nylon Based Actuator for Use in a Soft Robotic Glove

Coulter, Ruairi, Gunawardhana, K.R. Sanjaya D. orcid logoORCID: 0000-0002-3793-0688 and Coyle, Shirley orcid logoORCID: 0000-0003-0493-8963 (2025) Design and Development of a Nylon Based Actuator for Use in a Soft Robotic Glove. In: 2024 International Conference on the Challenges, Opportunities, Innovations and Applications in Electronic Textiles (E-Textiles), 19-21 November 2024, Berlin, Germany. ISBN 978-3-00-080429-8

Abstract
This research develops a nylon-based actuator for a soft robotic glove to assist users with impaired hand strength, such as stroke or arthritis patients. Traditional soft robotic gloves are bulky or, in the case of pneumatic systems, limited by power source requirements. This study aims to create a lightweight solution using twist and coiled polymers (TCP), specifically nylon fishing wire, to assist finger movement through thermal contraction. A prototype glove integrating the artificial muscle and a heating element was designed to aid finger movement, with a heat-resistant glove ensuring safety. Braided nylon wire muscles showed promising tensile and contraction test results, demonstrating flexibility and strength, with an optimal activation temperature of 100°C. Controlled by an Arduino Uno, the heating element effectively activated the artificial muscles for finger movement. This work presents a significant step towards creating more accessible and effective soft robotic gloves, potentially benefiting individuals with hand mobility issues in therapeutic and everyday contexts.
Metadata
Item Type:Conference or Workshop Item (Paper)
Event Type:Conference
Refereed:Yes
Uncontrolled Keywords:Artificial Muscles, Actuation, Twist and Coil Polymer, Soft Robotics, Wearable Technology
Subjects:Engineering > Biomedical engineering
DCU Faculties and Centres:DCU Faculties and Schools > Faculty of Engineering and Computing > School of Electronic Engineering
Research Institutes and Centres > INSIGHT Centre for Data Analytics
Published in: Proceedings of the 2024 International Conference on the Challenges, Opportunities, Innovations and Applications in Electronic Textiles (E-Textiles). . IEEE. ISBN 978-3-00-080429-8
Publisher:IEEE
Official URL:https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/1091...
Copyright Information:Authors
Funders:Insight SFI Centre for Data Analytics ( SFI/12/RC/2289_P2)
ID Code:31016
Deposited On:29 Apr 2025 09:47 by Sanjaya Gunawardhana . Last Modified 29 Apr 2025 09:47
Documents

Full text available as:

[thumbnail of 2024338951.pdf]
Preview
PDF - Requires a PDF viewer such as GSview, Xpdf or Adobe Acrobat Reader
Creative Commons: Attribution 4.0
510kB
Metrics

Altmetric Badge

Dimensions Badge

Downloads

Downloads

Downloads per month over past year

Archive Staff Only: edit this record