[ad_1] The system’s “catalytic artificial micro-muscle” is made with a nickel-titanium (NiTi) shape-memory alloy (SMA), a wire that shrinks and expands with temperature changes. That wire is coated with platinum, and when the platinum interacts with RoBeetle’s methanol fuel, a combustion reaction generates heat. The temperature changes cause a tiny vent to slide back and […]
Category: muscles
Muscle sensors may let you control a drone by clenching your fist
[ad_1] CSAIL’s tech isn’t ready for real-world use. A Parrot Bebop 2 drone responded to 82 percent of over 1,500 gestures — promising, but not what you’d depend on in a vital situation. The scientists intend to refine the technology, though, including the option of custom or more continuous gestures. They’ll ideally learn from the […]
Robot bees can crash into walls without taking damage
[ad_1] The trick was to improve the power density through refined materials. The actuators are made with dielectric elastomers that deform under an electric field and have good insulating properties. Their upgraded electrode conductivity helps them operate at the same 500Hz as the stiff actuators found on other bots this size. They’re easy to assemble […]
MIT scientists ‘work out’ synthetic hydrogels to make them stronger
[ad_1] They used polyvinyl alcohol hydrogels, which are common in lab settings and used for medical implants and drug coatings. The trick was to create a material that was as strong as a muscle, but which also contained a high enough water content to be pliant enough for the human body. “Most of the tissues […]