Subj : Revolutionary self-sensing electric arti To : All From : ScienceDaily Date : Tue Jul 11 2023 22:30:30 Revolutionary self-sensing electric artificial muscles Date: July 11, 2023 Source: Queen Mary University of London Summary: Researchers have made groundbreaking advancements in bionics with the development of a new electric variable-stiffness artificial muscle. This innovative technology possesses self-sensing capabilities and has the potential to revolutionize soft robotics and medical applications. The artificial muscle seamlessly transitions between soft and hard states, while also sensing forces and deformations. With flexibility and stretchability similar to natural muscle, it can be integrated into intricate soft robotic systems and adapt to various shapes. By adjusting voltages, the muscle rapidly changes its stiffness and can monitor its own deformation through resistance changes. The fabrication process is simple and reliable, making it ideal for a range of applications, including aiding individuals with disabilities or patients in rehabilitation training. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIN Email ========================================================================== FULL STORY ========================================================================== Researchers from Queen Mary University of London have made groundbreaking advancements in bionics with the development of a new electric variable- stiffness artificial muscle. Published in Advanced Intelligent Systems, this innovative technology possesses self-sensing capabilities and has the potential to revolutionize soft robotics and medical applications. The artificial muscle seamlessly transitions between soft and hard states, while also sensing forces and deformations. With flexibility and stretchability similar to natural muscle, it can be integrated into intricate soft robotic systems and adapt to various shapes. By adjusting voltages, the muscle rapidly changes its stiffness and can monitor its own deformation through resistance changes. The fabrication process is simple and reliable, making it ideal for a range of applications, including aiding individuals with disabilities or patients in rehabilitation training. In a study published recently in Advanced Intelligent Systems, researchers from Queen Mary University of London have made significant advancements in the field of bionics with the development of a new type of electric variable-stiffness artificial muscle that possesses self-sensing capabilities. This innovative technology has the potential to revolutionize soft robotics and medical applications. Muscle contraction hardening is not only essential for enhancing strength but also enables rapid reactions in living organisms. Taking inspiration from nature, the team of researchers at QMUL's School of Engineering and Materials Science has successfully created an artificial muscle that seamlessly transitions between soft and hard states while also possessing the remarkable ability to sense forces and deformations. Dr. Ketao Zhang, a Lecturer at Queen Mary and the lead researcher, explains the importance of variable stiffness technology in artificial muscle-like actuators. "Empowering robots, especially those made from flexible materials, with self-sensing capabilities is a pivotal step towards true bionic intelligence," says Dr. Zhang. The cutting-edge artificial muscle developed by the researchers exhibits flexibility and stretchability similar to natural muscle, making it ideal for integration into intricate soft robotic systems and adapting to various geometric shapes. With the ability to withstand over 200% stretch along the length direction, this flexible actuator with a striped structure demonstrates exceptional durability. By applying different voltages, the artificial muscle can rapidly adjust its stiffness, achieving continuous modulation with a stiffness change exceeding 30 times. Its voltage-driven nature provides a significant advantage in terms of response speed over other types of artificial muscles. Additionally, this novel technology can monitor its deformation through resistance changes, eliminating the need for additional sensor arrangements and simplifying control mechanisms while reducing costs. The fabrication process for this self-sensing artificial muscle is simple and reliable. Carbon nanotubes are mixed with liquid silicone using ultrasonic dispersion technology and coated uniformly using a film applicator to create the thin layered cathode, which also serves as the sensing part of the artificial muscle. The anode is made directly using a soft metal mesh cut, and the actuation layer is sandwiched between the cathode and the anode. After the liquid materials cure, a complete self-sensing variable-stiffness artificial muscle is formed. The potential applications of this flexible variable stiffness technology are vast, ranging from soft robotics to medical applications. The seamless integration with the human body opens up possibilities for aiding individuals with disabilities or patients in performing essential daily tasks. By integrating the self-sensing artificial muscle, wearable robotic devices can monitor a patient's activities and provide resistance by adjusting stiffness levels, facilitating muscle function restoration during rehabilitation training. "While there are still challenges to be addressed before these medical robots can be deployed in clinical settings, this research represents a crucial stride towards human-machine integration," highlights Dr. Zhang. "It provides a blueprint for the future development of soft and wearable robots." The groundbreaking study conducted by researchers at Queen Mary University of London marks a significant milestone in the field of bionics. With their development of self-sensing electric artificial muscles, they have paved the way for advancements in soft robotics and medical applications. * RELATED_TOPICS o Health_&_Medicine # Foot_Health # Fibromyalgia # Disability o Matter_&_Energy # Engineering # Robotics_Research # Medical_Technology o Computers_&_Math # Robotics # Artificial_Intelligence # Neural_Interfaces * RELATED_TERMS o Tetanus o Tendon o Sore_muscles_after_exercising o Motor_neuron o Meat o Muscle o Soft_drink o Stem_cell_treatments ========================================================================== Print Email Share ========================================================================== ****** 1 ****** ***** 2 ***** **** 3 **** *** 4 *** ** 5 ** Breaking this hour ========================================================================== * Revolutionary_Electric_Artificial_Muscles * Age_of_Universe:_26.7,_Not_13.7,_Billion_Years * City_Ground_Is_Deforming:_Buildings_Aren't_Ready * The_Sound_of_Silence?_People_Hear_It * 36-Million-Year_Geological_Cycle_Drives_... * Six_Foods_to_Boost_Cardiovascular_Health * Cystic_Fibrosis:_Lasting_Improvement * Artificial_Cells_Demonstrate_That_'Life_... * Advice_to_Limit_High-Fat_Dairy_Foods_Challenged * First_Snapshots_of_Fermion_Pairs Trending Topics this week ========================================================================== SPACE_&_TIME NASA Space_Missions Asteroids,_Comets_and_Meteors MATTER_&_ENERGY Nature_of_Water Materials_Science Civil_Engineering COMPUTERS_&_MATH Artificial_Intelligence Neural_Interfaces Computers_and_Internet ========================================================================== Strange & Offbeat ========================================================================== SPACE_&_TIME Reinventing_Cosmology:_New_Research_Puts_Age_of_Universe_at_26.7_--_Not_13.7_- -_Billion_Years Quasar_'Clocks'_Show_Universe_Was_Five_Times_Slower_Soon_After_the_Big_Bang First_'Ghost_Particle'_Image_of_Milky_Way MATTER_&_ENERGY Revolutionary_Self-Sensing_Electric_Artificial_Muscles Bees_Make_Decisions_Better_and_Faster_Than_We_Do,_for_the_Things_That_Matter_to Them These_Lollipops_Could_'Sweeten'_Diagnostic_Testing_for_Kids_and_Adults_Alike COMPUTERS_&_MATH Number_Cruncher_Calculates_Whether_Whales_Are_Acting_Weirdly AI_Tests_Into_Top_1%_for_Original_Creative_Thinking Researchers_Create_Highly_Conductive_Metallic_Gel_for_3D_Printing Story Source: Materials provided by Queen_Mary_University_of_London. Note: Content may be edited for style and length. ========================================================================== Journal Reference: 1. Chen Liu, James J. C. Busfield, Ketao Zhang. An Electric Self‐Sensing and Variable‐Stiffness Artificial Muscle. Advanced Intelligent Systems, 2023; DOI: 10.1002/aisy.202300131 ========================================================================== Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/07/230711133213.htm --- up 1 year, 19 weeks, 1 day, 10 hours, 50 minutes * Origin: -=> Castle Rock BBS <=- Now Husky HPT Powered! (1:317/3) .