A Study Combining Knitting Technology and Robotics Engineering at ITU

Researchers at Istanbul Technical University (ITU) Soft Sensors Lab have made a groundbreaking contribution to the field of wearable robotics.

The “thermally activated textile-based exoskeleton” developed under the ERC-supported TEXWEAROTS Project has been published in Advanced Science, one of the most prestigious journals in the field.

This work brought together knitting technology and robotic engineering to develop a completely wireless, lightweight, and energy-efficient system that supports human movement. Thanks to its textile-based structure, the device integrates naturally with the human hand and can provide 270° of movement in 12 seconds using only 10.8 W of energy. Additionally, it operates at a low temperature of 48°C, offering safe and long-term usage capabilities.

From seamless knitting to smart robotic movements

The system developed as part of the research combines heating, sensing, and actuation functions within the same structure thanks to conductive threads embedded in a specially designed mesh structure. This enables the system to provide rehabilitation support for individuals with limited manual dexterity and also be used in industrial robots for object grasping and transport tasks.

Demonstrating significantly superior performance compared to traditional actuators in terms of energy efficiency, flexibility, and durability, this new design has the potential to set a new standard in soft robotic systems.

Scope: ERC-Supported TEXWEAROTS Project

This study was conducted as part of the TEXWEAROTS Project, supported by the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union's Horizon Europe Program.

The project, led by Prof. Dr. Özgür Atalay, a faculty member at the ITU Faculty of Textile Technologies and Design, aims to develop next-generation wearable soft robotic solutions by integrating textile technologies with sensors, actuators, and energy systems.

Advanced Science is an international Q1-ranked journal published by Wiley-VCH, featuring pioneering research across multiple disciplines including engineering, biotechnology, materials science, and medicine.

According to the journal's 2025 data, its CiteScore is 18.2, and it ranks,

#1/125 – Biochemistry, Genetics, and Molecular Biology

#6/344 – Engineering

#9/433 – Medicine

placing in the top 1% worldwide in its field.

The inclusion of the ITU team in this journal further strengthened the university's international visibility in the fields of wearable technologies and soft robotics.

Source: Advanced Science (2025)

DOI: 10.1002/advs.202509870

https://advanced.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/advs.202509870