TEXO

What it does

TEXO is a glove exoskeleton made of textiles only. Overcoming the limitations of conventional exoskeletons with rigid elements and expensive manufacturing, TEXO is sewn from a tailored pattern into a custom, robust, lightweight, and accessible design.

Your inspiration

During my MSc research, I worked on exoskeletons for rehabilitation and noticed the high cost and accessibility barrier of current assistive technologies. I was also struck by how “fragile” exoskeletons can be, as prototypes are either not ruggedized enough to withstand prolonged everyday use (flexible/polymer-based designs) or too heavy to be comfortable (metal-based designs). This challenge led me to look for textile-based solutions, as fabrics are often overlooked by engineers but provide the perfect combination of wearability, strength, sustainability, and resistance to wear and tear.

How it works

TEXO's core innovation lies in its parametric design, which computationally tailors the glove for each user allowing for precise, effective fit and functionality. The customized glove supports its unique actuation system: instead of bulky components, satin ribbons routed along the glove act as synthetic tendons. Each ribbon is routed through fabric pockets sewn in the internal surface of the glove, mimicking the natural path of finger tendons along joints while minimizing exposure to the environment as well as friction with the user’s hand. A lightweight modular unit worn on the forearm houses miniature motors with pulleys attached to tendons. By pulling tendons, motors can close or open the hand, pulling from the palm or the back, respectively. This minimalist approach, prioritizing simple, comfortable textiles and off-hand actuation, minimizes weight, complexity, and cost, making TEXO a truly wearable, accessible, and practical solution for hand assistance.

Design process

TEXO design process began by exploring tendon-like cables for finger actuation. Early prototypes faced hurdles: fishing cables, often used in similar exoskeleton designs, caused discomfort by “cutting” through the user’s hand when in tension, whereas shoelaces resulted in too much friction. The breakthrough came with satin ribbon, which proved incredibly effective and comfortable. In early prototypes, the cables were first attached and then sewn onto commercial gloves. A pivotal decision was to make the glove from scratch, leading to our novel manufacturing process. This starts with a parametric paper pattern based on hand size and circumference for tailored fit, followed by careful fabric cutting, design transfer, and pocket sewing to guide the ribbons. Fourchettes are integrated, ribbons inserted and secured, and the glove finished and reversed to hide seams. Initially, the glove was sewn with four-way stretch fabrics; after preliminary tests, the design evolved to the use of two-way stretch fabrics for improved motion support and comfort, with a combination of sustainable eco-leather and satin cotton. This iterative development, from material trials to custom fabrication, has refined TEXO into its current comfortable, efficient, and accessible form.

How it is different

Most similar products in the exoskeleton market are characterized by heavy, rigid, and/or expensive components. They often rely on bulky motors, complex gears, and materials that require advanced manufacturing capabilities, pushing weight up and cost easily into the range of thousands of dollars. These devices excel in controlled settings, but their weight, cost, and complexity make them impractical for widespread personal use. What sets TEXO apart is its capability to maintain the same functionality of its competitors while outperforming them with a combination of lightness (35g), low cost (5$ for the glove, less than 300$ for the actuation), washability, and wearability (less than 6 seconds to wear it). These characteristics directly address the critical barriers that currently prevent advanced exoskeletons from reaching those who need them most outside of highly specialized clinics and research laboratories.

Future plans

TEXO's next steps focus on control strategies, integrating textile sensors for real-time feedback and implementing AI to first learn and then adapt to user needs. We will also explore ribbon-tautening strategies to ensure reliable yet precise assistance. We are planning to seek funding to standardize manufacturing and scale it up, and we will consider a direct-to-consumer model to make assistive technology even more accessible. Our goal is to empower individuals with hand challenges to regain independence and improve their daily lives, as well as improve the ergonomics in fatiguing work tasks.

Awards