Researchers develop self-sensing electric artificial muscles
Researchers from Queen Mary University of London, in a recent study published in Advanced Intelligent Systems have made significant advances in the bionics field with the development of an electric variable-stiffness synthetic muscle that has self-sensing abilities. This new technology could revolutionize soft robots and medical applications.
Muscle contraction is essential to enhance strength, but it also allows for rapid reactions. The team of QMUL researchers, who took inspiration from nature to create an artificial muscle capable of transforming between soft and solid states and detecting forces and deformations has succeeded in creating a synthetic muscle.
Dr. Ketao Zhu, Lecturer and Lead Researcher at Queen Mary, explains how variable stiffness technology is important in artificial muscles-like actuators. Dr. Zhang says that empowering robots with self-sensing abilities, particularly those made of flexible materials, is an important step towards bionic intelligence.
Source:
https://techxplore.com/news/2023-07-self-sensing-electric-artificial-muscles.html
