Medi-tech / H+: Artificial muscles of carbon nanotubes; Hope for muscular dystrophy patients

Carbon nanutubes artificial muscles close-up shot

A team of medical scientists developed a new way to build artificial muscles out of carbon nanotubes. Although the innovatively created artificial muscles have not yet been tested on animal models, they are a very promising development we certainly have to keep our eyes on, especially those suffering from muscular diseases like Fybromyalgia, Polymyositis and Myopathy. Being ultra-light and considerably stronger and more powerful than natural human muscles, 85 times more pound for pound and able to lift over 100,000 times their own weight. Isn't that impressive?!

The strength of these artificially made muscles is hidden in a technique of twisting and coiling of the carbon nanotubes, compressing a whole lot of energy into a small volume. The nanotubemuscles are coated with parafin. When heated, that substance causes the carbon nanotube yarn toexpand, causing more coiling and shortening the strands. Heat can be applied to the parafin using different methods, including shining a light orstimulating it with electrical current. Here’s video of Dr. Ray Baughman, team lead of the project, explaining the workings of the artificial muscles: