6.05.2004
Artificial muscles
Albuquerque inventor revolutionizes the field of robotics
From the article:
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From the article:
- NASA is sponsoring the contest that will pit robotic arms fitted with artificial muscles against a human being, probably a teenager. The space agency is hoping that the artificial limbs will win and that the victory will give a boost to the emerging field of artificial muscles, a field that Shahinpoor says could have wide-ranging medical applications and be worth billions of dollars in the next several years.
- Artificial muscles, or electroactive polymers as they are known, are rubber and plastic-like materials that flex, bend and expand and contract when put in contact with chemicals or electricity. The contracting muscles are made from strands of orlon and other fibers, while the bending muscles are made of gold-plated Teflon. They mimic human muscle movements, and in time, might be used to replace damaged muscles in the human body. They also stand a good chance of revolutionizing the field of robotics.
NASA, for instance, is hoping to build a landing rover with legs fitted with artificial muscles. Such a robot would be able to walk, instead of crawling on wheels, over planetary surfaces.
"We are working on a rover right now with legs. My hope is to have it powered by artificial muscles. My dream is to see it running like a horse, rather than moving slowly like a robot," Bar-Cohen says.
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