Trending...
- Turnstone Creative Welcomes Giovanni Amodei as Manager of Strategic Growth
- ResC4EU Final Event at KOMPOZYT-EXPO 2026 – Building Resilient European Supply Chains
- American Garden Rose Selections™ Announces 2027 Winners
PITTSBURGH ~ Carnegie Mellon University engineers have made a breakthrough in softbotics and the fields of robotics, electronics, and medicine with the development of a soft material with metal-like conductivity and self-healing properties. This material is the first to maintain enough electrical adhesion to support digital electronics and motors.
The research team, led by Professor Carmel Majidi of Mechanical Engineering, introduced the material in three applications: a damage-resistant snail-inspired robot, a modular circuit to power a toy car, and a reconfigurable bioelectrode to measure muscle activity on different locations of the body.
The self-healing conductive material was embedded with a battery and electric motor to control motion on the snail robot. When the team severed the conductive material, its speed dropped by more than 50%. However, due to its self-healing properties, when manually reconnected it recovered 68% of its original speed.
More on The PennZone
The material can also act as a modular building block for reconfigurable circuits. In their demonstration, one piece of gel initially connected the toy car to a motor. When split into three sections and connected one section to a roof-mounted LED, they were able to restore the car's connection to the motor using two remaining sections.
Lastly, it was demonstrated that this material can be reconfigured for electromyography (EMG) readings from different locations on the body. This opens doors for tissue-electronic interfaces like EMGs and EKGs using soft, reusable materials.
Professor Majidi hopes that this work will lead to robots made entirely of soft gel-like materials that could be used for monitoring hard to reach places such as water quality or mold in homes. The research was published in Nature Electronics on March 9th 2023.
The research team, led by Professor Carmel Majidi of Mechanical Engineering, introduced the material in three applications: a damage-resistant snail-inspired robot, a modular circuit to power a toy car, and a reconfigurable bioelectrode to measure muscle activity on different locations of the body.
The self-healing conductive material was embedded with a battery and electric motor to control motion on the snail robot. When the team severed the conductive material, its speed dropped by more than 50%. However, due to its self-healing properties, when manually reconnected it recovered 68% of its original speed.
More on The PennZone
- Holiday Gambling Spending Expected to Rise 12% in December
- RAS AP Consulting Issues National Compliance Alert and Launches Q4 2026 AP Readiness Program Ahead of IRS FIRE → IRIS Cutover
- Free Senior Housing Webinar Helps Families Plan for Aging Before a Crisis Forces Difficult Decisions
- Claude Zdanow named Managing Director in Miami, Florida
- YWCA Hanover Celebrates Opening of New Children's Learning Academy
The material can also act as a modular building block for reconfigurable circuits. In their demonstration, one piece of gel initially connected the toy car to a motor. When split into three sections and connected one section to a roof-mounted LED, they were able to restore the car's connection to the motor using two remaining sections.
Lastly, it was demonstrated that this material can be reconfigured for electromyography (EMG) readings from different locations on the body. This opens doors for tissue-electronic interfaces like EMGs and EKGs using soft, reusable materials.
Professor Majidi hopes that this work will lead to robots made entirely of soft gel-like materials that could be used for monitoring hard to reach places such as water quality or mold in homes. The research was published in Nature Electronics on March 9th 2023.
0 Comments
Latest on The PennZone
- NEW Three Fully Furnished Single-Family Model Homes at Heritage at South Brunswick
- After 35 Years, Christian Radio Host Marina Maria Publishes the Novel She Never Forgot
- Freight Broker 911 CEO and President Milton Collier Is Rebuilding the Path Into Freight Brokerage
- Boston Industrial Solutions Launches New and Improved Siliart Website for Silicone Decorators
- TrueNorth to Participate in 2026 Adams County Giving Spree
- Roots for Boots Announces Rations for the Ranks to Replace MilitaryShare Beginning November 10
- Scoop Social Co. Brings Its Signature Mobile Dessert Experience to Phoenix
- SMACK Fighting Championships Announces Influencer Fight Night at Harrah's Philadelphia
- BetQL Brings Data Driven 5 Star Betting Insights to the Everyday Sports Bettor
- Sky Quarry's Big Turning Point: CEO Marcus Laun Outlines the Next Phase for N A S D A Q: SKYQ
- Hunter Is Releasing New Music For The Holidays!
- Tixpool.com - Naija Premier Event Reseller
- Work 365 Expands Distributor Integrations with Companial for Microsoft Partners
- ClassicCarJobs.us Launches Automotive Career Marketplace for Specialty Shops
- Guardian Data Opens 42,000-Square-Foot Moonachie Facility, Doubling New Jersey Capacity
- Dutch Mill Bulbs Launches Pink Ribbon Tulip Fundraise ~ National Breast Cancer Foundation, Inc.®
- SecureMaine 2026 is Here -- Thursday October 8th!
- Bluestone Laundromat Makes a Difference in the Archbald Community
- HW Foundation Opens Nominations for Inaugural 50 Under 50 in AI; Deadline Oct. 16
- Pavillon 30 Years of Addiction Recovery in Western North Carolina, Earns National Accreditation