Nylon Muscle

Scientists from Canada, United States, Australia, South Korea, Turkey and China have performed a research that led to the creation of artificial muscles from the nylon fishing line. Metal wires and nanotubes have been used in the past to develop artificial muscles but they have proven to be a costly affair.

The team for the current equipment used high strength polymer fibres made up of polyethylene and nylon that are found in everyday items such as the fishing line and sewing thread. These fibres were twisted into tight coils and the muscles therein contracts and relaxes according to the temperature. Scientists claim that the polymer muscles’ life is 100 times the weight of the natural muscles of the same size.

Currently, advanced humanoid robots or prosthetic limbs consist of bulky hardware and hydraulic systems that inhibit their dexterity and work capability. These muscles have been designed keeping in mind applications such as minimally invasive robotic microsurgery, prosthetics, better robots and application in clothing or fabric to make their pores expand or contract according to the temperature.