A motor that looks like a thread could make prosthetics and assistive devices lighter. Developed at EPFL, the FiberMotor is between one and three millimetres in diameter and consists of two concentric hollow fibres: when a voltage is applied, the inner fibre slides inside the outer one, like a telescope, producing movement.
Several of these motors can be bundled together to increase force. The team sees applications in soft exosuits for mobility, smart clothing and lightweight prosthetics. The prototype is still at the laboratory demonstration stage, but it shows a promising way to build movement into objects worn on the body.
