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Stretchy Wires to Create Artificial Nerves

Posted by CowboyNeal on from the singing-the-body-electric dept.

Roland Piquepaille writes "Researchers from the Johns Hopkins University have built electronic circuits which exhibit a rubbery behavior. The flexible circuits, built by using gold springs, can stretch like rubber. And Nature says that these stretchy wires can be used to create artificial nerves bending inside our bodies or wearable electronics. 'Wiring like this could be woven into stretchy sports clothing and used to connect up sensors that monitor athletic performance. Rubbery electrodes made from biocompatible materials might be attached to a beating heart and used to sense impending problems.' This overview contains more details and references about these flexible wires."

10 of 138 comments (clear)

  1. Excellent idea by BigBadBri · · Score: 4, Funny
    Now I can make the electro-stimulation Condom!

    Thrills for you and for her - with the optional audio input, you too cam throb to the music of lurrrve gods such as Barry White or Motorhead!

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    oh brave new world, that has such people in it!
    1. Re:Excellent idea by The+I+Shing · · Score: 4, Funny

      Oh, c'mon, we could have condoms that bestow immortality on the women we use them with, and we still ain't gettin' any.

      The best we can hope for is sell those condoms to guys with waistbands under 48 inches and use the money to buy porn.

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      You are in error. No-one is screaming. Thank you for your cooperation.
  2. Prior art by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    Perhaps the bendy straw people should sue.

  3. Whoa... by Bluesman · · Score: 4, Funny

    "The wires can stretch to over half their original length."

    Is it me, or does this violate some law of grammar, physics, or both?

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    If moderation could change anything, it would be illegal.
    1. Re:Whoa... by avendesora · · Score: 4, Funny

      Doesn't violate those laws, just streches them out a bit :-)

  4. Reporters can use over half their minds! by Zarf · · Score: 4, Funny

    Caption from Graphic:The wires can stretch to over half their original length.

    Elsewhere, cars were noticed to speed up to over half their original speed! Proof readers were able to increase their accuracy to over half their original accuracy! I increased my IQ to over half it's original size!

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    [signature]
  5. If my Slinky taught me anything . . . by 93,000 · · Score: 5, Funny

    One kink and it's trash can city.

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    Sweet informative mod.
  6. Oh, yay. Finally we can get rid of all that gold. by Punk+Walrus · · Score: 4, Funny
    The flexible circuits, built by using gold springs...

    Wow. Just what we needed. Yet another use for Gold. You know, it being so damn plentiful and all. I was just saying to myself, as I threw away another gold can of soda, "I sure how they find a use for this stuff, because if not, Gold doesn't oxidize or break down very easily, and it will burst our landfills if we don't start a recycling program!" Maybe all those out-of-work gold miners can finally feel useful again, and not be he butt of environmentalist hate.

    Why don't they ever find a great new way to use garbage?

  7. Great by An-Unnecessarily-Lon · · Score: 3, Funny

    How long till I have to upgrade/patch the OS on my underwear?

  8. I can see it now.... by warlockgs · · Score: 3, Funny

    "Boy, you've got some nerve!" "You like it? I just had it grafted in this morning"