This paper discusses the reasons why evidence of clinical effectiveness is not enough to facilitate adequate adoption of robotic technologies for upper-limb neurorehabilitation. The paper also provides a short review of the state of the art technologies. In particular, the paper highlights the barriers to the adoption of these technologies by the markets in which they are, or should be, deployed. On the other hand, the paper explores how low rates of adoption may depend on communication biases between the producers of the technologies and potential adopters. Finally, it is shown that, although technology-efficacy issues are usually well-documented, barriers to adoption also originate from the lack of solid evidence of the economic implications of the new technologies.

New bilayered composite systems with tunable and temperature-dependent formation of periodical wrinkles on the surface are the object of this report. The samples were prepared by spin-coating deposition of a thin film of the conducting polymer poly(ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrene sulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) on the surface of standard monodomain liquid crystal elastomer (LCE) films. Several bilayered materials were prepared by changing the thickness of PEDOT:PSS nanofilms. Basic characterization showed very good stability and adhesion between the two components also after performing multiple heat cycles around nematic-to-isotropic transition temperature of the LCE. Interestingly, formation of uniaxially aligned microwrinkles was observed, with most of the wrinkles aligned along perpendicular direction with respect to the nematic director, due to reversible elongation/compression of the LCE during thermal cycles

In this work a new bi-layered composite actuator based on a polysiloxane-based monodomain nematic Liquid Crystal Elastomer (LCE) and on a conductive PEDOT:PSS thin layer is proposed. The basic idea is to integrate electroconductive properties in the LCE and to validate the feasibility of direct actuation of the LCE by Joule heating of the conductive (and compliant) PEDOT:PSS layer. The fabrication of the actuator is achieved by depositing a thin conductive polymer layer by drop casting a PEDOT:PSS waterborne solution after having increased the LCE surface wettability with an air plasma treatment. The excellent stability of PEDOT:PSS and its mechanical properties, better matched with LCE ones compared to metals or inorganic nanoparticles used in other approaches, allowed to develop an all-organic reliable actuating composite based on thermoresponsive properties of LCE. Thermal actuation via direct Joule heating of the composite has been verified and prototypes of LCE/PEDOT:PSS bending actuators have been preliminary tested