NTU Has Developed a 3D Printed ‘Active’ Fabric for Flexible, Made-to-Measure Limb Supports

3D printing is increasingly transforming the medical sector. Whether it’s to develop exoskeletons, cancer-fighting devices or tailor-made medicines, additive manufacturing has proven its worth time and time again. Today, we turn our attention to Singapore, where researchers at Nanyang Technological University (NTU) have developed an innovative 3D printed ‘active’ fabric using this technology.
Called RoboFabric, this adaptable, flexible fabric can stiffen at will, making it particularly useful for medical devices and flexible robotics. NTU researchers have designed an elbow brace with RoboFabric, enabling it to support heavier loads, as well as a prototype wrist support designed to stabilize joints, helping Parkinson’s patients manage their tremors.
RoboFabric: A 3D Printed Fabric That Reduces Muscular Effort
The innovative new fabric, inspired by the natural structures of the pangolin and octopus, is designed by a mathematical algorithm to create interlocking tiles. These tiles, produced by 3D printing, are connected by metal fibers. When the fibers contract, they cause the tiles to interlock, increasing the rigidity of the RoboFabric by more than 350 times.
The results of this research, published in the journal Advanced Materials, show that the use of this device can reduce human muscular effort by 40%. Assistant Professor Wang Yifan of Nanyang Technological University and chief scientist, explained that their inspiration came from animals, which use complex structures to endow their limbs with multiple functionalities, similar to octopuses’ ability to change shape and rigidity.
This scientist envisions that, in the near future, patients will be able to use customizable, flexible limb supports instead of traditional rigid casts. These devices would be simple to apply or remove at the touch of a button, offering greater support to the elderly by reducing the muscular effort required to lift heavy objects in their daily lives.
How Was It Made?
Customization begins by downloading a 3D scan of the wrist or elbow. This program uses an advanced algorithm to create geometric patterns for 3D printing. Next, metal fibers are inserted through openings between the printed segments and connected to an electrical device that controls cable tension to adjust rigidity.
Associate Professor Loh Yong Joo from Tan Tock Seng Hospital highlighted the promising applications of this technology in medicine. He explained that it could provide crucial support for joint injuries and offer help to people with motor disorders, such as those suffering from Parkinson’s disease or upper limb weakness.
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