Project description
Advanced vapour actuator for soft wearable robotics
Soft robotics is advancing wearable technology with lightweight systems that safely interact with the human body. With the support of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the ACTIVA project will introduce a fast, compact actuator that uses on-demand liquid vapourisation. A low-boiling liquid in a porous matrix around a micro-heater allows rapid pressure change and cylinder contraction. Innovative cooling with liquid recirculation enhances efficiency and enables quick cycling. The project will explore how capillary-driven fluid dynamics, phase-change kinetics, and soft material deformation interact. By integrating modelling and experiments, it will optimise actuator speed, pressure, and efficiency. This innovative soft-actuation approach addresses key limitations in soft robotics, paving the way for advancements in healthcare and assistive technologies.
Objective
Soft robotics is redefining wearable technologies by enabling lightweight, compliant systems that safely interact with the human body. Yet, most soft actuators – the core enablers of muscle-like motion – still rely on bulky air compressors, high-voltage sources, or slow and inefficient thermal mechanisms, severely limiting real-world usability.
This project introduces a new actuation paradigm: a compact, silent, and fast actuator powered by on-demand liquid vaporization, overcoming the speed limitations of previous phase-change systems. A low-boiling liquid is stored in a porous matrix surrounding a micro-heater inside a reinforced elastomer cylinder. Capillary forces ensure uniform fluid distribution in any orientation – a critical feature for wearable use. Upon heating, rapid pressure rise leads to contraction of the cylinder. A unique cooling strategy exploits liquid recirculation to accelerate condensation and enable rapid cycling.
ACTIVA investigates the thermomechanical interplay between capillary-driven fluid dynamics, phase-change kinetics, and soft material deformation. By combining modeling and experimentation, it will reveal how capillary structure, thermal input, and active cooling influence actuation speed, pressure, and efficiency, enabling predictive control of output force and timing. Each actuator is a fully self-contained module integrating fluid, heater, electronics, and sensors. Stackable and adaptable, the modules suit various anatomical and force needs. As proof of concept, a soft exosuit supporting forearm motion will showcase the actuator’s potential in rehabilitation, assistance, and physically demanding tasks.
This project delivers a new class of soft actuation that is fast, efficient, and fully self-contained – directly addressing one of the most persistent limitations in soft robotics and enabling the transition from fragile lab-scale prototypes to robust, real-world applications in healthcare, industry, and human-assistive technologies.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- engineering and technology electrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineering electronic engineering robotics
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Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
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Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
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Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
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Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
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Call for proposal
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(opens in new window) HORIZON-MSCA-2025-PF
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1015 Lausanne
Switzerland
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