By Ko Dong-hwan
American engineers have developed a new micro-muscle fiber similar in its function to that of a "terminator" from the popular Hollywood movies.
Termed a "micro-bimorph dual coil," the artificial muscle is thousands of times stronger than human muscle and capable of pushing away objects that are 50 times heavier at a five times longer distance than its own length.
The super-strength kinetic performance, according to a source, happens in just 60 milliseconds.
"We've created a micro-bimorph dual coil that functions as a powerful torsional muscle, driven thermally or electro-thermally by the phase transition of vanadium dioxide," said Junquiao Wu from the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in Berkeley, California, who led the engineers.
"Using a simple design and inorganic materials, we achieve superior performance in power density and speed over the motors and actuators now used in integrated micro-systems."
The core element behind the muscle fiber, praised by the electronic engineers, is "vanadium dioxide." The substance, while maintaining its characteristics as a nonconductor, starts to conduct electricity once heated up to 67 degrees Celsius.
Moreover, it contracts very fast along one direction and expands along two other directions at the same time.
The engineers argue these features make the substance "perfect for micro-scaled muscles and propulsion devices."
The breakthrough was introduced Tuesday on the Interesting Engineering! website.
American engineers have developed a new micro-muscle fiber similar in its function to that of a "terminator" from the popular Hollywood movies.
Termed a "micro-bimorph dual coil," the artificial muscle is thousands of times stronger than human muscle and capable of pushing away objects that are 50 times heavier at a five times longer distance than its own length.
The super-strength kinetic performance, according to a source, happens in just 60 milliseconds.
"We've created a micro-bimorph dual coil that functions as a powerful torsional muscle, driven thermally or electro-thermally by the phase transition of vanadium dioxide," said Junquiao Wu from the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in Berkeley, California, who led the engineers.
"Using a simple design and inorganic materials, we achieve superior performance in power density and speed over the motors and actuators now used in integrated micro-systems."
The core element behind the muscle fiber, praised by the electronic engineers, is "vanadium dioxide." The substance, while maintaining its characteristics as a nonconductor, starts to conduct electricity once heated up to 67 degrees Celsius.
Moreover, it contracts very fast along one direction and expands along two other directions at the same time.
The engineers argue these features make the substance "perfect for micro-scaled muscles and propulsion devices."
The breakthrough was introduced Tuesday on the Interesting Engineering! website.
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