While the headline may evoke images of the beer-swilling Bender from Futurama, some researchers at the University of Texas at Dallas have developed artificial muscles — powered by alcohol — that may have potential in robotic applications.
According to a post over at ScienCentralNews by Eva Gladek and Victor Limjoco, the scientists used a special metal alloy — dubbed “shape memory wire” — that is coated with a special catalyst. When alcohol is applied, the combination reacts with oxygen in the air and generates heat, causing the wire to contract.
In the article, head researcher Ray Baughman claims that their artificial fibers are “…hundreds of times stronger than an actual muscle.”
Check out the ScienCentralNews article here. – [Jeff James] (Source: ScienCentralNews)
