An electrostatic rotary clutch, comprising: a shaft; a substantially parallel plurality of electrically-conductive plate pairs (300, 500) axially mounted to the shaft; and a housing containing the plurality of electrically-conductive plate pairs (300, 500), each of the plurality of electrically-conductive plate pairs (300, 500) comprising a first plate and a second plate adjacent to the first plate such that the plurality of electrically-conductive plate pairs (300, 500) comprises a plurality of first plates and second plates, each first plate of the plurality of the electrically-conductive plate pairs (300/500) rotationally-coupled to the housing, each second plate of the plurality of electrically-conductive plate pairs (300, 500) rotationally-coupled to the shaft, and the plurality of electrically-conductive plate pairs (300, 500) configured to cause an electrostatic adhesion between the first plate and the second plate of each of the plurality of electrically-conductive plate pairs (300, 500), wherein the electrostatic adhesion causes the second plate to be pulled towards the first plate thereby causing a frictional force between the first plate and the second plate based at least in part on a voltage difference applied across the plurality of first plates and the plurality of second plates, and characterised in that, the housing comprising a bottom portion and a top portion each having the shape of a half-cylinder, and forming a full cylinder having a cylindrical internal cavity when connected together, said internal cavity partially housing the shaft such that a first exposed portion of the shaft protrudes from a first side of the housing. a shaft; a substantially parallel plurality of electrically-conductive plate pairs (300, 500) axially mounted to the shaft; and a housing containing the plurality of electrically-conductive plate pairs (300, 500), each of the plurality of electrically-conductive plate pairs (300, 500) comprising a first plate and a second plate adjacent to the first plate such that the plurality of electrically-conductive plate pairs (300, 500) comprises a plurality of first plates and second plates, each first plate of the plurality of the electrically-conductive plate pairs (300/500) rotationally-coupled to the housing, each second plate of the plurality of electrically-conductive plate pairs (300, 500) rotationally-coupled to the shaft, and the plurality of electrically-conductive plate pairs (300, 500) configured to cause an electrostatic adhesion between the first plate and the second plate of each of the plurality of electrically-conductive plate pairs (300, 500), wherein the electrostatic adhesion causes the second plate to be pulled towards the first plate thereby causing a frictional force between the first plate and the second plate based at least in part on a voltage difference applied across the plurality of first plates and the plurality of second plates, and characterised in that, the housing comprising a bottom portion and a top portion each having the shape of a half-cylinder, and forming a full cylinder having a cylindrical internal cavity when connected together, said internal cavity partially housing the shaft such that a first exposed portion of the shaft protrudes from a first side of the housing.