EPFL develops a wire-shaped motor

Context

TL;DR

• FiberMotor: diameter from 1 to 3 millimeters
• Four motors lift a 46-gram bar
• The prototype was integrated into a pair of trousers
• A start-up aims to commercialize the technology

Key facts

• Development → EPFL research team
• Structure → two hollow fibers with copper wires
• Publication → Advanced Materials journal
• Initial goal → greater power and durability

The prototype presented in Lausanne

The FiberMotor, a thread-like motor, was developed by a research group at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL). In a note, the institute specified that the device measures one to three millimeters in diameter. The description of the device was published in the specialist journal Advanced Materials.

The device consists of two hollow fibers, one positioned inside the other. Thin copper wires wrap around both. Applying an electrical voltage causes electrostatic forces to push them closer together. Consequently, the inner fiber moves back and forth inside the outer one.

Movement without gears

The construction distinguishes FiberMotor from the traditional motors described by the researchers. The device does not need gears and does not require mechanical transmission of force. For this reason, it is flexible and can also be moved from the outside. If, for example, an arm is moved in the opposite direction to that generated by the motor, the device does not lock up.

Four combined motors produced enough force to lift a 46-gram chocolate bar. This is the measurement reported for the test described by EPFL.

From the pants test to the start-up

One of the applications mentioned is a wearable robotic suit intended to help people walk. As a demonstration, the researchers integrated the motors into a pair of pants. The idea for the future is to insert many of these thin motors into clothing, making them work like threads. Together they could support movement when the leg bends or extends.

To bring the technology toward commercialization, the researchers have already founded a start-up. Initially, they want to make the motor more powerful and more durable. The source does not indicate a date for commercialization: the project is presented through the prototype, the pants test, and the development goals indicated by the team.

Operational details

From research to possible use

For those following research in Switzerland, the news should be read as a step toward an application, not as the announcement of a product already available. The source sets out a component developed by EPFL, a test on a garment, and the founding of a start-up. The practical value lies in understanding what has already been done and what remains stated as an objective.

Three levels to distinguish

The first level is the form factor. A motor with a diameter of one to three millimeters can be described as thin; the source adds that it is flexible and can be moved from the outside. It is not merely a matter of reducing the dimensions: the absence of gears and a mechanical transmission allows the device to follow an opposing movement without locking up. The researchers link this characteristic to the possibility of inserting it into clothing like a thread.

The second level is the test. Four units lifted a 46-gram chocolate bar. This is a measurable result of the combined system, but it is not equivalent to describing a full suit. The source does not indicate how many units would be needed to support the movements of a leg, what operating time a garment would have, or what its price would be. These elements should not be added to the news.

The third level is commercialization. The start-up has already been founded, while greater power and longer duration are indicated as initial priorities. No deadline is given. For those following innovation, this separates the technical project from market availability.

Those who want to follow the professional side without confusing research with hiring can consult aziende che assumono. The source does not report any open positions related to the start-up; the link serves as general further reading, not as confirmation of recruitment.

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Key points

How to follow the project

The most accurate way to read FiberMotor updates starts with a simple distinction: measured data, application testing, and future objectives. This prevents turning a laboratory result into a commercial promise.

Four practical steps

1. Identify the result. Note the name FiberMotor, the diameter of one to three millimeters, and the publication in Advanced Materials. These are the elements that make it possible to recognize the project without confusing it with a generic wearable motor.

2. Verify the mechanism. Check that the update describes two hollow fibers, copper wires, and the effect of electrical voltage. The movement arises from the fibers moving closer together due to electrostatic forces; the inner fiber slides inside the outer one.

3. Separate testing from prospects. The cited test concerns four motors and a 46-gram chocolate bar. Integration into a pair of trousers is another concrete piece of information. Clothes with many motors and support for leg movements, on the other hand, belong to the application indicated for the future.

4. Check the next objectives. Every new announcement should be compared with the two priorities already declared: increasing power and making the motor more durable. The source does not provide a launch date, a price, or the number of motors needed for a garment; it is not advisable to fill these gaps with estimates.

For broader professional guidance, the annunci di lavoro remain a tool separate from the news. The source does not mention open positions related to the start-up, so the link does not constitute an announcement about the project.

To keep track of your salary planning, use calcolatore stipendio.

Source: swissinfo.ch