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Topic -
Electroactive Polymers as Artificial Muscles
Electroactive Polymers as Artificial Muscles
presented by Dr. Yoseph Bar-Cohen,
JPL Senior Research Scientist
For
the 2001 schedule and archived webcasts, please contact
Audio Visual Services at 818.354.6170.
If you don't have RealPlayer,
you can download the free RealPlayer 8 Basic.
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Thursday, February 21
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The von Kármán Auditorium at JPL
4800 Oak Grove Drive
Pasadena, CA
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Friday, February 22
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The Vosloh Forum at Pasadena City College
1570 East Colorado Blvd.
Pasadena, CA
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Both lectures begin at 7 p.m.
Admission is free. Seating is limited.
For more information, call (818) 354-0112.
For many, the idea of a human with bionic muscles immediately conjures up images of science fiction — a superhuman character in a TV series. With bionic muscles, the hero is portrayed with strength and speed far superior to any normal human. As fantastic as that idea may seem, recent developments in electroactive polymers (EAP) may one day make such bionics possible.
Meanwhile, as this technology evolves, novel mechanisms that are biologically inspired are expected to emerge. EAP materials can potentially provide actuation with lifelike response and more flexible configurations. And while further improvements in power and robustness will be necessary, there have been already several reported successes. This lecture will provide an overview of current developments, and discuss future possibilities for EAP technology.
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