Plastic makes artificial muscles

Scientific researchers have gathered in the United States to show off their prototype devices utilizing artificial muscles or electro active polymers.

This artificial flower was developed by Chinese researchers.

It blooms when its electro-active polymers respond to electrical stimulus.

Such EAP demonstrations are everywhere at the conference. Experts say EAP has similarities to biological muscles.

Yoseph Bar-Cohen, Jet Propulsion Lab, said, "In simple terms it's a plastic that responds to electrical stimulation. We call them artificial muscles in generic terms because these materials when you excite them with electricity they change size, they change shape and generate force."

Australian researchers showcased their robotic fish which can swim with a flapping polymer tailfin.

Scott McGoverm, Univ. of Wollongong, Australia, said, "If we pass a current from one side to the other then what we get is an oxidation on one side and a reduction on the other. So if this side oxidizes, and this side reduces, we end up getting a bending in that motion. When we hit the voltage in the other direction then we get a bending in the other direction and we can get it real fast."

The highlight of the conference is a three-meter blimp from Switzerland.

Researchers steer the blimp controlling its EAP tail rudders.

Silvan Michel, Swiss Federal Lab, said, "We are using electroactive polymers (EAP) as the actuators for the activation of the rudders for steering the blimp. They are mounted on a passive hinge such that when you activate one side it will deflect and if you activate the other side it will defect on the other side."

They plan to develop a new blimp whose whole body can move.

Scientists say the technology has great commercial potential, with applications for robots to explore outer space.