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Fabric-based exosuits, for VR body haptics or to generate muscular assistance, require compliant, efficient, fast, lightweight yet high-force actuators. Much prior work has focused on pneumatic principles, an effective solution, but that needs an external pump or compressor. I will present several electrically-driven fiber-format flexible actuators developed in my lab. Making actuators shaped like fibers is key to their integration in active textiles. Our devices operate on electrostatic principles, which offers high energy density and high efficiency. I report fiber-format pumps, 2 mm in diameter and several meters in length, that generate fluid flow with no moving parts, and can be woven into fabrics, allowing both thermal management and shape change. I also report fiber-shaped electrostatic sliding stepper motors, 4 mm in diameter, that serve as long thin muscles to power gloves for VR and back-support exoskeletons. I will discuss open challenges and opportunities in making active wearables.
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