“Imagine a rubber band that turns into a steel cable on command. Now imagine it’s inside a robot.
That’s the basic trick of a new artificial muscle built by researchers at the Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) in South Korea. In a study published in *Advanced Functional Materials*, they describe a soft, magnetically controlled muscle that can flip between floppy and rock-solid — and deliver more energy than human muscle tissue ever could.
In its stiffened state, this tiny strip of material weighs about 1.2 grams yet can hold up to 5 kilograms. That’s roughly 4,000 times its own weight. When softened, it can stretch to around 12 times its original length and contract with a strain of 86.4%, more than twice that of typical human muscle.
The muscle’s work density — how much mechanical energy it can deliver per unit volume — reaches 1,150 kilojoules per cubic meter. That’s about 30 times higher than human muscle tissue. For soft robotics, that’s like jumping from a scooter to a sports bike overnight.”
Shit_Shepard on
Imagine being the guy making it harder and harder for us to win the coming war for existence.
dreadandmalice on
I have a muscle that can flip from floppy to rock hard too.
Sonikku_a on
Tech bros really won’t be happy until they invent literal ass Terminators.
LongTrailEnjoyer on
I just imagined this thing ripping a fully grown human in half
ale_93113 on
This is not for building robots 4000x stronger, this has pretty short range
This is to give robots grips that are 4000x stronger, since the distances involved in gripping something are on the scale of this paper
So no, this won’t make robots so strong that a full sized army can’t beat them, but it will make their grips so strong that it’s easier to lose your arm than for them to lose their grip of your wrist
ticonderoga67 on
So myomer from Battletech but 325 years ahead of schedule?
viktorsvedin on
Just think of the possibilities. Now everyone will be able to carry and use Cloud’s sword.
pugwala on
Use a tiny bit of this tech to repair my left shoulder so I can life more that a Kleenex again.
_Weyland_ on
I wonder if we can use the same tech to augment human limbs. Like exoskeletons and stuff.
ccblr06 on
Soon…. We will be able to inject that stuff into humans and create super cyborgs…..yes, yes soon.
11 Comments
“Imagine a rubber band that turns into a steel cable on command. Now imagine it’s inside a robot.
That’s the basic trick of a new artificial muscle built by researchers at the Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) in South Korea. In a study published in *Advanced Functional Materials*, they describe a soft, magnetically controlled muscle that can flip between floppy and rock-solid — and deliver more energy than human muscle tissue ever could.
In its stiffened state, this tiny strip of material weighs about 1.2 grams yet can hold up to 5 kilograms. That’s roughly 4,000 times its own weight. When softened, it can stretch to around 12 times its original length and contract with a strain of 86.4%, more than twice that of typical human muscle.
The muscle’s work density — how much mechanical energy it can deliver per unit volume — reaches 1,150 kilojoules per cubic meter. That’s about 30 times higher than human muscle tissue. For soft robotics, that’s like jumping from a scooter to a sports bike overnight.”
Imagine being the guy making it harder and harder for us to win the coming war for existence.
I have a muscle that can flip from floppy to rock hard too.
Tech bros really won’t be happy until they invent literal ass Terminators.
I just imagined this thing ripping a fully grown human in half
This is not for building robots 4000x stronger, this has pretty short range
This is to give robots grips that are 4000x stronger, since the distances involved in gripping something are on the scale of this paper
So no, this won’t make robots so strong that a full sized army can’t beat them, but it will make their grips so strong that it’s easier to lose your arm than for them to lose their grip of your wrist
So myomer from Battletech but 325 years ahead of schedule?
Just think of the possibilities. Now everyone will be able to carry and use Cloud’s sword.
Use a tiny bit of this tech to repair my left shoulder so I can life more that a Kleenex again.
I wonder if we can use the same tech to augment human limbs. Like exoskeletons and stuff.
Soon…. We will be able to inject that stuff into humans and create super cyborgs…..yes, yes soon.