Liquid Wire is contributing its stretchable electronics technology to a partnership with Northwestern University’s HAND ERC, aiming to solve critical challenges in robotic hand development.
PORTLAND, Ore.—Liquid Wire, a developer of stretchable, deformable electronics, announced in March that it is partnering with the Human AugmentatioN via Dexterity Engineering Research Center (HAND ERC) at Northwestern University. The project is focused on “developing advanced sensing and interconnect solutions that enhance robotic dexterity, minimize failure points, and improve real-time motion tracking,” the company said in a press release.
Liquid Wire is contributing its innovative interconnect and sensing technologies to help solve critical challenges in robotic hand development, including space constraints, conductor fatigue, wire management during joint movement, and real-time data capture from constantly moving fingers, according to the release.
HAND ERC, backed by up to $52 million in National Science Foundation (NSF) funding, is working to transform robotic dexterity as part of its goal to augment human labor through AI-powered, adaptable robotic hands. The center is a collaboration between Northwestern University, Carnegie Mellon University, Florida A&M University, and Texas A&M University, with additional faculty from MIT, Syracuse University, and the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
“The challenges of robotic dexterity require breakthroughs in both hardware and intelligence,” said HAND ERC Director and Northwestern University Professor Ed Colgate, in the release. “Liquid Wire’s deformable electronics present a novel way to integrate sensing and connectivity into robotic hands without the constraints of traditional rigid components. We’re excited to collaborate with them in pushing the boundaries of what robotic hands can achieve.”
According to Liquid Wire, its deformable electronics provide the reliability humanoid robots need to perform consistently in demanding environments. The company’s stretchable interconnects are said to provide durable power and data transmission, resisting fatigue and failure after millions of flex and stretch cycles. Liquid Wire has also developed strain sensors to further enhance reliability by providing continuous feedback on joint movement and structural deformation, improving proprioception and contact sensing.
By integrating smoothly with soft and rigid components, Liquid Wire’s deformable electronics are reported to reduce failure points, simplify assembly, and ensure long-term performance in advanced robotic systems.
“Robotic hands present unique engineering challenges, and we believe our deformable electronics can provide new possibilities for integrating sensing and connectivity in ways that enhance both performance and design flexibility,” said Robert Gunn, president of Liquid Wire, in the release. “We look forward to collaborating with HAND ERC to explore new ways to bring robotic dexterity closer to human capability.”