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Jolting a super-stretchy, self-healing material with an electrical field causes it to twitch or pulse in a muscle-like fashion. The polymer can also stretch to 100 times its original length, and even repair itself if punctured.
Cheng-Hui Li, working in the Stanford University lab of chemical engineering professor Zhenan Bao, wanted to test the stretchiness of a rubberlike type of plastic known as an elastomer that he had just synthesized. Such materials can normally be stretched two or three times their original length and spring back to original size. One common stress test involves stretching an elastomer beyond this point until it snaps.
But Li, a visiting scholar from China, hit a snag: The clamping machine typically used to measure elasticity could only stretch about 45 inches. To find the breaking point of their one-inch sample, Li and another lab member had to hold opposing ends in their hands, standing further and further apart, eventually stretching a 1-inch polymer film to more than 100 inches.
(Score: 1) by anubi on Thursday April 21 2016, @03:56AM
I wonder about making a mannequin with this stuff - that would have all the muscles in the appropriate places so it looks very realistic.
It would get a helluva lot of attention at the mall....
( I suggest a mannequin first because strength isn't all that much of an issue as long as its sufficient to overcome gravity and move the limb.)
Later... prosthetics.
The makers of "RealDoll" would probably be highly interested in this... so would their customers.
"Prove all things; hold fast that which is good." [KJV: I Thessalonians 5:21]