Artificial muscles made from polymers can now be powered by energy from glucose and oxygen, just like biological muscles. This advance may be a step on the way to implantable artificial muscles or autonomous microrobots powered by biomolecules in their surroundings.
The motion of our muscles is powered by energy that is released when glucose and oxygen take part in biochemical reactions. In a similar way, manufactured actuators can convert energy to motion, but the energy in this case comes from other sources, such as electricity. Scientists at Linköping University wanted to develop artificial muscles that act more like biological muscles. They have now, in a study published in the prestigious journal Advanced Materials, demonstrated the principle using artificial muscles powered by the same glucose and oxygen as our bodies use.
The researchers have used an electroactive polymer, polypyrrole, which changes volume when an electrical current is passed. The artificial muscle, known as a “polymer actuator”, consists of three layers: a thin membrane layer between two layers of electroactive polymer. This design has been used in the field for many years. It works by the material on one side of the membrane acquiring a positive electrical charge and ions being expelled, causing it to shrink. At the same time, the material on the other side acquires a negative electrical charge and ions are inserted, which causes the material to expand. The changes in volume cause the actuator to bend in one direction, in the same way that a muscle contracts.
No battery needed
The electrons that cause motion in artificial muscles normally come from an external source, such as a battery. But batteries suffer from several obvious drawbacks: they are usually heavy, and need to be charged regularly. The scientists behind the study decided instead to use the technology behind bioelectrodes, which can convert chemical energy into electrical energy with the aid of enzymes. They have used naturally occurring enzymes, integrating them into the polymer.
“These enzymes convert glucose and oxygen, in the same way as in the body, to produce the electrons required to power motion in an artificial muscle made from an electroactive polymer. No source of voltage is required: it’s enough simply to immerse the actuator into a solution of glucose in water”, says Edwin Jager, senior lecturer in Sensor and Actuator Systems, in the Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology at Linköping University. Together with Anthony Turner, professor emeritus, he has led the study.
Just as in biological muscles, the glucose is directly converted to motion in the artificial muscles.
“When we had fully integrated enzymes on both sides of the actuator and it actually moved – well, it was just amazing”, says Jose Martinez, a member of the research group.
The next step for the researchers will be to control the biochemical reactions in the enzymes, such that the motion can be reversible for many cycles. They have already demonstrated that the motion is reversible, but they had to use a small trick to do so. Now they want to create a system that is even closer to a biological muscle. The researchers also want to test the concept using other actuators as the “textile muscle”, and apply it in microrobotics.
“Glucose is available in all organs of the body, and it’s a useful substance to start with. But it is possible to switch to other enzymes, which would enable the actuator to be used in, for example, autonomous microrobots for environmental monitoring in lakes. The advances we present here make it possible to power actuators with energy from substances in their natural surroundings”, says Edwin Jager.
Learn more: Artificial muscles powered by glucose
The Latest on: Artificial muscles
[google_news title=”” keyword=”artificial muscles” num_posts=”10″ blurb_length=”0″ show_thumb=”left”]
via Google News
The Latest on: Artificial muscles
- Routine chest CT with AI to assess CVD riskon April 26, 2024 at 11:07 pm
A recent study designed and implemented by investigators at Cedars-Sinai found that artificial intelligence (AI) can accurately evaluate cardiovascular risk during a routine chest computed tomography ...
- Built-in bionic computing: Researchers develop method to control pneumatic artificial muscleson April 26, 2024 at 9:08 am
Creating robots to safely aid disaster victims is one challenge; executing flexible robot control that takes advantage of the material's softness is another. The use of pliable soft materials to ...
- 25 Best FBB OnlyFans & Muscle Girl OnlyFanson April 25, 2024 at 5:00 pm
She loves to interact with her followers, check out her muscles today. Maybe send her a naughty message or ask for a fitness routine, whichever appeals most. This fitness beauty from the gold ...
- Artificial intelligence can evaluate cardiovascular risk during CT scanon April 24, 2024 at 7:25 am
A recent study designed and implemented by investigators at Cedars-Sinai found that artificial intelligence (AI) can accurately evaluate cardiovascular risk during a routine chest computed tomography ...
- 7 Best CBD Creams, Lotions, and Balms for Pain in 2024on April 24, 2024 at 4:00 am
If you are feeling particularly sore after a hard workout or extended time sitting, a warming CBD cream may be the best option for you. This CBDfx warming CBD cream is similar to icy hot or other ...
- Mega-cap tech earnings kick off this week. Here's what Wall Street is looking out for.on April 21, 2024 at 5:16 am
"I think the next few weeks, this is a 'get out the popcorn moment' for tech," Wedbush Securities' Dan Ives said.
- New refrigerator runs by flexing its artificial muscleson April 17, 2024 at 4:13 pm
A team of researchers from Saarland University and the Center for Mechatronics and Automation Technology (ZeMa) has developed what it claims is the world’s first refrigerator that cools using ...
- Engineers design soft and flexible 'skeletons' for muscle-powered robotson April 7, 2024 at 5:00 pm
They've demonstrated a handful of "biohybrid" robots that use muscle-based actuators to power artificial skeletons that walk, swim, pump, and grip. But for every bot, there's a very different ...
- Elastocaloric cooling: Refrigerator cools by flexing artificial muscleson April 1, 2024 at 5:00 pm
Elastocaloric cooling: Refrigerator cools by flexing artificial muscles. ScienceDaily . Retrieved April 23, 2024 from www.sciencedaily.com / releases / 2024 / 04 / 240402192607.htm ...
- 'Artificial muscles' help bones heal betteron March 28, 2024 at 10:01 am
But theses artificial muscles also have their own intrinsic sensor properties. "When the wires change shape, so too does their electrical resistance. We can assign precise resistance values to even ...
via Bing News