A Study at ITU Bringing Together Knitting Technology and Robotic Engineering

by Handan Palak | Nov 17, 2025

TU’s Soft Sensors Lab published an ERC-backed, thermally activated textile exoskeleton in Advanced Science. The TEXWEAROTS project, led by Prof. Dr. Özgür Atalay, integrates textiles with sensors, actuators, and energy systems to create next-generation wearable soft robotics.

Researchers at Istanbul Technical University (ITU) Soft Sensors Lab have achieved a groundbreaking milestone in wearable robotics. Developed within the ERC-funded TEXWEAROTS Project, a “thermally activated textile-based exoskeleton (textile exoskeleton)” has been published in Advanced Science, one of the field’s most prestigious journals. Led by Prof. Dr. Özgür Atalay from ITU’s Faculty of Textile Technologies and Design, the project aims to develop next-generation wearable soft-robotic solutions by integrating textile technologies with sensors, actuators, and energy systems.

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İTÜ Faculty of Textile Technologies and Design

Textile Engineering Department of Istanbul Technical University (İTÜ) is the first and the single one offering textile engineering education in Istanbul, and also comes first among the top textile engineering schools in Turkey. Its history could be traced back to 1955; the year in which the textile division was established in the body of Mechanical Engineering. The school gained its current name and independent status in 1983. Therefore, it is obvious that the Textile Engineering Department is fairly new compared to the history of İTÜ stretching back to 240 years.

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ITU Textile Engineering Undergraduate Program is an accredited program by ABET Engineering Accreditation Commission (EAC), www.abet.org, (Criteria: General Criteria Only (EAC)). For further information on accrediation of ITU Textile Engineering Undergraduate Program, please visit the following link: https://tekstil.itu.edu.tr/en/education/accreditation/abet

Faculty of Textile Technologies and Design- Telephone +90 (212) 293 13 00 - 2830

Faculty of Textile Technologies and Design- Fax +90 (212) 251 88 08

Faculty of Textile Technologies and Design- Address İTÜ Gümüşsuyu Campus, 34437, Beyoglu/Istanbul