Ras Labs is working with the International Space Station to test a material that contracts like living muscle tissue under an electric current.
The company has created Synthetic Muscle material, which is expected to pave the way for giving feeling to robots and Androids. It expands and contracts rapidly in all three axes at very low power.
The formulations of the material can be adjusted to the particular requirements of customers. It directly converts energy to motion, eliminating the need of belts, pulleys, gears or motors.
Synthetic Muscle can be formed into any size or shape with 3D printing. It can also withstand harsh environments from extreme heats, like 135°C to a space-cold 2 to 4 Kelvin, and even a lethal dose of radiation.
The adaptable properties of the material will allow to design solutions for motion and control without the need to send a human.
Ras Labs co-founder Lenore Rasmussen said: "We are making science fiction a reality. "The sky is no longer the limit for smart materials."
