Robot Fish Powered By Artificial Muscle

x2agent points to this article on yomiuri.com, excerpting: "Start-up companies in Osaka Prefecture have developed what is believed to be the world's first fish robot with artificial muscles capable of reproducing the natural movements of real fish." z2agent writes "I found this article while I was searching for something about robots and thought it was interesting. I was wondering where do you draw the line between 'robots' and 'remote controlled car with a Skil saw mounted to the front' like in Battle Bots?"

Names

[david duncan scott]

Are the first pair going to be called Lennon and McCartney?

Re:Names

[stemcell]

Err, I think you mean McCartney and Lennon.

Stemmo

I think the article got the science wrong...

[Simon Field]

Not unusual, but in one paragraph they call it a "polymer molecule actuator" and in the next they say it works "when the water inside the plate expands in response to electric stimulation".

A better article on artificial muscles can be found a MIT [mit.edu]. There is enough information there to actually build one, including sources for the materials.

The MIT work is most likely quite different from the work done at Eamex, as there are a number of approaches to making artificial muscles.

Another article [trnmag.com] describes yet another approach, but also gets some of the science wrong.

Oh, well...

just different kinds of artificial muscles

[js7a]

From the article:

The artificial muscle, or polymer molecule actuator, comprises a plastic [resin that expands and contracts in response to electric signals] plate containing water sandwiched between two capped electrodes.

That's just entirely different than what MIT is doing, as MIT is actually using hydrogel polymer techniques, and these fish people just have some new kind of electrical plastic.

Re:just different kinds of artificial muscles

[js7a]

doh! on closer inspection the two ARE the same. My parent article deserves to be modded into oblivion, please. Thank you.

Sorry, Has to be Done..

[Throatwarbler Mangro]

ObSimpsonsRef:

Is this brought to us via the Osaka (Robotic) Seafood Concern?

da-DUM....da-DUM....

[cybermace5]

It's all fun and games until someone makes a robotic great white shark.

Or is that when the fun and games begin? I don't know....

Re:da-DUM....da-DUM....

[zomB1kenoB]

na.. the fun doesn't begin until you add FRIKKIN' LASER BEAMS attached TO IT'S HEAD!

Uh-oh The elderly in POWERED SUITS?

[gwizah]

"Eamex and Daiichi Kogei hope the artificial muscle can be used for various robots and are even considering using it for a "power suit" that elderly people could wear to aid their ailing muscles."

Anyone else seen ROJIN-Z?

Re:Uh-oh The elderly in POWERED SUITS?

[matttastic]

by the time these "power suits" will be around i'll be old. AND I AINT GETTING IN NO DAMN HIPPY POWER SUIT.

Possible driving hazard

[NTmatter]

Quite often, I find myself in the situation where I am almost run down by old people on scooters who seem to think they own the sidewalk. Either that, or I should be complaining that people with cataracts shouldn't drive.

Somehow, the thought of the elderly walking around recklessly in 7-foot tall mini-mecha makes me fear for my health