Springy Nanotubes Could Make Artificial Muscles 70
moon_monkey writes "Scientists have discovered that carbon nanotubes have remarkable springy properties, which could make them ideal for use in artificial muscles. Currently, electroactive polymers are most commonly used to make artificial muscles, but these lack mechanical robustness. Researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute tested the nanotubes by repeatedly squashing them between metal plates. The work is reported in Nature Nanotechnology."
Re: (Score:1)
Re:Great shake! (Score:4, Informative)
Re: (Score:2)
Grow muscle? (Score:5, Interesting)
Forgive my noobness on tissue replacement but I was under the impression that we were on the verge of 'test-tube organs' and if that is the case why not artificially grown muscle tissue?
Re:Grow muscle? (Score:5, Insightful)
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2, Interesting)
But I think the term "artifical tissue" in this case does not mean the same thing as it usually does, when it's biological in nature like skin and bone replacements which either becomes part of the recipient or allows own new cells to grow in place. A plastic actuator seems to be something quite different.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Work out 2-3 times a week, minimum, if you're doing full body wor
Re: (Score:2)
Because they usually don't want to uses those "muscles" inside a human body (so an electric-powered muscle is far more convienient than a blood powered one) and, with the right material, you could build muscles far more resistant than organic ones.
Re: (Score:1)
I think it might be things like a pump which works like a heart, but electrically powered. Machine, but if it works like muscle tissue it does a better job and will have a longer service life.
Re: (Score:3, Informative)
On the other hand, heart pumps already exist since a long time and usually use a plain simple electric engine with batteries.
What I understand from TFA is that
Re: (Score:2)
Not having to artificially knock out your immunity with medication for a long time after an operation (if it works at all) would be a big plus.
Re: (Score:1)
Re:Grow muscle? (Score:5, Informative)
A third is the fact that the people working on this are not in the field of direct tissue engineering (yeah, I am at RPI typing this, I am down the hall from a bunch of the people who wrote the paper). They are mostly Materials Engineers, they are working within their area of study.
Actually, I think I saw them running the test... Not quite as exciting in person, you need some imagination to turn their research into artificial muscles. That being said, it does have some nice properties that I can see aiding in such an endeavor.
Re: (Score:2)
Watching people smash plates on nanotubes would be cool!
Smash, shatter!
Phil, I think you missed. Or not. Where then hell did those nanotubes get to?
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Why not have other methods... (Score:2)
Re: (Score:3)
Alright! (Score:2)
That's not the effect of steroids... (Score:1)
Re: (Score:2)
Insert joke here (Score:5, Funny)
Re: (Score:1)
Carbon tubes for a strong intarweb!
Re: (Score:2)
How many nanotubes will it take to make my standard metric tube into a Gigatube?
Re: (Score:2)
This was funny before I posted it, I swear.
Re: (Score:1)
dialup? (Score:2)
Re:Insert joke here OK, I'll bite... (Score:2)
Why are we working for Artificial Muscles? (Score:4, Funny)
Re: (Score:2)
Sure, but think how much more overlordly our new robotic overlords will be once they've been kitted out with durable carbon nanotube artificial muscles. I welcome this.
Re: (Score:3, Funny)
Re: (Score:2)
Not only that -- imagine the joy it will bring to kids when the word becomes mainstream, and they adopt it as a new insult for other kids.
Early adopters (Score:1)
Re: (Score:1)
Okay, I need a patent lawyer and an engineer.
Re: (Score:1)
springy properties.. (Score:1)
Re:springy properties.. (Score:5, Funny)
Another "Nanotubes Magic Coming Soon!" article (Score:1)
Other applications... (Score:1)
Cue Sci Fi theme music.
Re: (Score:2)
Space elevators would be nice, but I want a BattleMech! [wikipedia.org] :-)
Re: (Score:1)
Back to the topic, I find it amazing how fast science is advancing these days (I am a newbie to most things tech) and all surgical procedures carry health risks, but hopefully the benefits will outweigh the downside (if any) and will enhance the lives of those with artificial muscles. Another great achievement in my opinion.
I would have loved some Nanotube Silly Putty as a kid.
Artificial Muscles better than normal? (Score:4, Funny)
So, were this new artificial muscle to be developed, would it be constrained by the cross-sectional area rule that normal muscles adhere to? Feasibility and practicality aside, could this be one of the major stepping stones toward having my own giant robot?
Re: (Score:1)
Re: (Score:2)
I mean, who wants a slow quadrupedal robot? I want a fast humano
Didn't see mention of muscle in the abstract (Score:1)
Oh my gawd... Is that, like... umm totally (Score:2)
One of many artificial muscle materials (Score:3, Informative)
Carbon nanotubes are one of many materials that can be made into artificial muscles. This has been known for a few years. For a comparison of technologies, see actuatorweb.org [actuatorweb.org].