Artificial Muscles Act Surprisingly Human When Zapped
From: Medical Designn Technology - 09/14/2015
By: Sam Brusco

RasLabs is working with the International Space Station (ISS) to test a
special class of "electroactive" materials that expand and contract just like
living tissue when an electrical current passes through them. They're
basically engineered muscles.

The material's discovery (like some of the best medtech) was accidental.
RasLabs co-founder Lenore Rassmussen was mixing up some chemicals, but ended
up with the wrong amount of ingredients. The result was a jelly that
Rasmussen discovered contracted and expanded when an electrical current was
applied to it.

Naturally, the main application here on our home planet is to use them for
prosthetics. The synthetic muscle would undoubtedly cover the metal
“skeleton” of any prosthetic – because there needs to be a way to deliver
electricity so the muscle contracts and expands to the user's liking. It's
relatively easy to produce, according to RasLabs; the synthetic muscle can be
made either through traditional plastics manufacturing processes, or formed
into customized sizes and shapes through 3D printing.

Read the entire article at:
http://www.mdtmag.com/blog/2015/09/artificial-muscles-act-surprisingly-human-when-zapped

Links:
RasLabs
http://www.raslabs.com/index

Company makes synthetic muscles to help amputees (with video)
http://www.raslabs.com/news/fox-news-company-makes-synthetic-muscles-to-help-amputees-video