Springy Nanotubes Could Make Artificial Muscles

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."

Comments

Grow muscle?

[Don_dumb]

Is there any reason why we can't just grow new muscle fibres outside of the destination body and use those instead of finding a more artifical replacement or do these nano-tubes have an advatange over our tissues?
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?

[iktos]

What "destination body"? This is for machines.

Re:Grow muscle?

[Anonymous Coward]

There are a few reasons. One is the fact that American researchers still have a hard time doing proper stem cell work, so creating new organs is not such a great line of study. Another is potential rejection of foreign tissue.

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:Grow muscle?

[iktos]

Sorry, I was probably too brief. You're of course right regarding prosthetics and it does mention implantation.

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:Grow muscle?

[aadvancedGIR]

Yes, using artificial muscle as actual muscular replacement might be a reality in a couple decades, but last time I heard of that, it was inpratictable at large scale (they made a full working atropomorphic arm and hand with electroactive polymers muscles, but it was way heavier than a flesh and bone arm and required a permanent electric power supply.

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 this new technology allows to build mecanical devices that could move differently from pneumatic, hydraulic or electric actuator and therefore, provide an alternative to some specific sets of problems in robotic motion. It might be a base of future cyberpunk-like body reconstruction or enhancement, but it is too early to tell.

Re:Grow muscle?

[khallow]

Hmmm, if these carbon nanotubes have similar properties to regular carbon nanotubes, then you probably would have considerably more strength available for the same volume and mass. Also, they apparently can use electric power. So they could be powered off of more efficiency power sources than human food. So they're not "natural", but there is the potential for superior mechanical properties with these.

Insert joke here

[CrazyJim1]

A Nano-Tube article right next to a Ted Steven's article.

Re:Great shake!

[packeteer]

Drinking nanotubes is funny but pretty dangerous. They are so small they can pass through cell membranes and through the blood-brain barrier with the greatest of ease. They end up causing damage as they float through everything in your body. Ill stick with Flax Seed oil as my final 5% of my shake.

Why are we working for Artificial Muscles?

[Pionus]

People who would need Artificial Muscles are a small minority. We need to improve the lives of the majority people. Imagine the joy that a enhanced nanotube superball or silly putty could bring to the world!

Re:Why are we working for Artificial Muscles?

[Icarus1919]

Yes, but that is just you for one.

Re:springy properties..

[Icarus1919]

If your erections are remarkably springy, I strongly advise you to stop posting and go see a doctor. You two have a lot to discuss.

Artificial Muscles better than normal?

[Apocalypse111]

With normal muscle tissue, strength increases proportional to cross-sectional area, while the weight of both the muscle itself and the object being lifted increases proportional to volume * density. Thus, weight can easily outstrip the ability of a muscle to lift it. This is one of the determining factors in why we do not see giant monsters, as they would be unable to lift their own bodies.

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?

One of many artificial muscle materials

[200_success]

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.