This work presents an analysis of a soft actuator
that has customizable stiffness, using the concept of chain mail
jamming. The actuator has the ability to achieve adaptive stiffness
in a wearable exosuit designed for spinal rehabilitation. It can
reshape and exert variable force to aid in this process. The
jamming phenomenon occurs when particles within a pliable
enclosure become entangled due to the application of pressure
along their borders. This is commonly used in the construction
of mechanisms that have adjustable stiffness. Chain mail has
a smaller packing fraction and offers greater tensile force in
comparison to standard jamming media. This work introduces
the application of chain mail jamming to soft wearable robotics.
Finite Element Analysis confirms the benefits of customizable
stiffness in a wearable exosuit for spinal rehabilitation