

Carbon nanotube based yarn can create muscle like actuators - ChuckMcM
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-11/uota-wny110812.php

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ChuckMcM
Submitted for you budding roboticists out there. One of the cool technologies
last entry was Nitinol wire, sometimes called 'muscle wire', which when heated
would contract and when it cooled would return to its extended size. It is
really cool stuff, but its _slow_. Heating it is pretty easy but cooling it
less so.

These guys have created the same function using Paraffin wax inside carbon
nano tubes. Paraffin has excellent thermal properties for this sort of
application. And it responds much faster.

If successful this tech will lead to some very useful actuators and end
effectors on robots where its impossible to put even the small motors the
Swiss make.

