Thin, Flexible Artificial Muscles
New Innovation from KAIST of South Korea Source: KAIST Many Potential Uses: Like Wearable Robotics, Active Biomedical Devices This is a remarkable invention by scientists at KAIST, the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology in South Korea. They've developed thin strip muscles that respond to electricity and move. In their announcement, the scientists say the muscles bloom, dance and wave. As you can see in the picture of the robotic butterfly, the wings which open and close are made of the artificial muscle. Critical Ingredient This new artificial muscle could have important applications in soft robotics and for small muscle replacements. The scientists made the muscle from an improved form of the high electrically conductive material MXene, which until now has been too rigid for such use. The KAIST team bonded MXene into the polymer. The result is a highly flexible and thin artificial muscle that flexes immediately when t...