Nonconductive commercial viscose yarns have been coated with a commercial conducting poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)-poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) layer providing electrical conductivity which allowed a second coating of the electroactive conducting polymer polypyrrole through electropolymerization to develop textile yarns actuators. To simplify the PEDOT coating process and at the same time make this process more suitable for application in industry, a new coating method is developed and the properties of the PEDOT-PSS conducting layer is optimized, paying attention on its effect on the actuation performance. The effect of the concentration of an additive such as dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) on actuation, and of PEDOT:PSS layers, is investigated. Results show that on improving this conducting layer, better performance than previously developed yarn-actuators is obtained, with strains up to 0.6%. This study provides a simple and efficient fabrication method toward soft, textile-based actuators for wearables and assistive devices with improved features.

Diseases of the nervous system, traumas, or natural causes can reduce human muscle capacity. Robotic exoskeletons are forthcoming to support the movement of body parts, e.g. assist walking or aid rehabilitation. Current available devices are rigid and driven by electric motors or pneumatic actuators, making them noisy, heavy, stiff and noncompliant. We are developing textile based assistive devices that can be worn like clothing being light, soft, compliant and comfortable. We have merged advanced textile technology with electroactive polymers. By knitting and weaving electroactive yarns, we are developing soft textile actuators ("Knitted Muscles") that can be used in wearable assistive devices. We will present the latest progress increase the performance and to rationalise the fabrication. In addition we will show some demonstrators of the textile exoskeletons.