This Thread-Thin Motor Lifts A Chocolate Bar

Executive Briefing & Key Highlights

A flexible electrostatic motor just 1–3 mm thick could eventually power wearable robots, assistive clothing and lightweight prosthetics. Engineers at Switzerland’s École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) have developed a flexible, thread-like motor that produces linear motion without conventional gears. Measuring 1–3 mm in diameter, the device can slide while bent and can be bundled […]