3D-Printed, Soft Robotic 'Muscle' is Three Times Stronger than Natural Muscle
This self-contained soft actuator created at Columbia University is three times stronger than natural muscle, without the need of external power - signaling a breakthrough in soft robotics. The Columbia engineers have solved a long-standing issue in the creation of untethered soft robots whose actions and movements can help mimic natural biological systems. They have developed a 3D-printable synthetic soft muscle, a one-of-a-kind artificial active tissue with intrinsic expansion ability that does not require an external compressor or high voltage equipment as previous muscles required.