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Problem

Robots today are expensive and unable to interact closely with humans. While soft robots (made using materials that are lightweight, inexpensive and more life-like) are being explored by industry, there is a critical need for reliable and inexpensive soft actuators, also known as artificial muscles. 

Solution

Dr. Christoph Keplinger and researchers working in his lab have developed soft, self-healing actuators or "artificial muscles" capable of contracting and changing shape. The actuators mimic the strength, speed and diversity of motion of real muscle and are capable of grasping delicate objects, thus enabling the development of soft robots and other soft-matter based systems. The inventors use inexpensive and lightweight materials such as packaging films and vegetable oil to build their voltage-controlled artificial muscles, making this breakthrough actuator truly low-cost.

Market Application

Potential applications include collaborative robots, industrial robots, household robots, prosthetics, valves, aircraft and cars.