Okayama University's Artificial Muscle

DigInfo: http://movie.diginfo.tv - With the increasing elderly population who need physical assistance moving around, Okayama University is working on a Mckibben Artificial Muscle system that uses air pressure to help the elderly and disabled move. The system consists of a thin mesh over a rubber tube that expands and contracts like real muscles as air is pumped into it. This can help improve people's grip and even help people who can't stand stand up. Since it mimics the natural muscle behavior this technology is appealing but there are a few drawbacks still to fix such as the weight and size of the compressed air generator and control unit as well as precision controls for fine motions.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Mckibben
• Type
• of
• Artificial
• Muscle
• physical
• assistance
• Okayama
• University
• thin
• mesh
• rubber
• tube
• compressed
• air
• generator

[mlh8723]

1:15

He must have seen a nice lady.

[MrCuddleBunnz]

and i bet for the legs you have a control panel with the letters "QWOP"

[RichtoffenRoach]

The human revolution is close. Augmentations will be the new shit :D

[coolbionicle]

@TURBOKING5 I think you're talking about the USA Right there :S

[olzzn]

Attach it to your dick for longer durability

[YINGAI1995]

now lets recreate crysis' suit

[lilruc]

Hell yeah, Japan creating something the world actually needs AGAIN. Wish the rest of the world followed suit and stop bitching about who's the toughest or their pride.

[TURBOKING5]

@RandomGeigelStuff HELL YEAH!!! I bet they first started this project to create Nanosuits to take over the world :O

[TheCrampz]

Soon were gonna have a world with "AutoMail" thats gonna be fun.

[fuunguus]

@thebadguy2k6

It works, but it is quite slow and air also works like a spring so it wont be very responsive at all. A fluid would be much better, but it's heavy so I can see why they wouldn't use that.

[thebadguy2k6]

Air pressure.......really?