09-09-2017, 09:44 AM
SRI has patented a thin, flexible and intelligent material called "artificial muscle" because it behaves like a human muscle. Artificial muscle, available for SRI license for a variety of application areas, uses a revolutionary technology called electroactive polymers. The material expands when exposed to an electric current and shrinks when electricity is removed, converting electrical potential energy into mechanical movement.
Artificial muscle has the potential to fundamentally change the way in which many types of industrial, medical, consumer, automotive and aerospace products are fed and operated. It offers significant advantages over typical electromagnetic-based technologies, as it is much lighter, smaller, quieter and cheaper. It also offers more controllable and flexible configurations.
Artificial muscle allows a wide variety of applications, including touch screens to enhance human computer interaction, adaptive optics, flat conforming speakers and, potentially, active medical prosthesis implants. The technology has also shown promise for a variety of actuator and electrical power generation applications.
Because of its inherent muscle characteristics, the artificial muscle of SRI can allow robots to mimic the dexterity and mobility of humans. It offers performance characteristics similar to those of natural muscle, such as high deformation, high peak power and high compliance. In addition to acting as a muscle-like actuator, artificial muscle can function in reverse and generate energy from being stretched and contracted.
Compared to many other intelligent material technologies, the polymeric materials used in artificial muscle are relatively inexpensive. Its high conformity allows artificial muscles to easily interfere with human movement sources or other environmental sources. Combined with its high energy performance, these features make it attractive for a variety of energy harvesting applications, such as capturing the energy of ocean waves. In 2008, SRI first demonstrated a wave powered generator that converts the energy from ocean waves to electrical power.
In 2005, SRI separated from Artificial Muscle Inc. (AMI) to further develop technology and introduce products based on EPAM. In 2010, AMI became a subsidiary of Bayer Material-Science LLC. AMI's next generation technology adds a new dimension to mobile gaming by allowing users to feel the difference between sensations by having their mobile gaming device in their hands. Artificial muscle is available for SRI license for some fields of use.
Artificial muscle has the potential to fundamentally change the way in which many types of industrial, medical, consumer, automotive and aerospace products are fed and operated. It offers significant advantages over typical electromagnetic-based technologies, as it is much lighter, smaller, quieter and cheaper. It also offers more controllable and flexible configurations.
Artificial muscle allows a wide variety of applications, including touch screens to enhance human computer interaction, adaptive optics, flat conforming speakers and, potentially, active medical prosthesis implants. The technology has also shown promise for a variety of actuator and electrical power generation applications.
Because of its inherent muscle characteristics, the artificial muscle of SRI can allow robots to mimic the dexterity and mobility of humans. It offers performance characteristics similar to those of natural muscle, such as high deformation, high peak power and high compliance. In addition to acting as a muscle-like actuator, artificial muscle can function in reverse and generate energy from being stretched and contracted.
Compared to many other intelligent material technologies, the polymeric materials used in artificial muscle are relatively inexpensive. Its high conformity allows artificial muscles to easily interfere with human movement sources or other environmental sources. Combined with its high energy performance, these features make it attractive for a variety of energy harvesting applications, such as capturing the energy of ocean waves. In 2008, SRI first demonstrated a wave powered generator that converts the energy from ocean waves to electrical power.
In 2005, SRI separated from Artificial Muscle Inc. (AMI) to further develop technology and introduce products based on EPAM. In 2010, AMI became a subsidiary of Bayer Material-Science LLC. AMI's next generation technology adds a new dimension to mobile gaming by allowing users to feel the difference between sensations by having their mobile gaming device in their hands. Artificial muscle is available for SRI license for some fields of use.