Types of Artificial Muscles
There are three main types of muscles based on their activation mechanisms:
- Shape memory alloys: Made of metals that remember their original shapes. They contract or relax in response to changes in temperature. Common shape memory alloys include nitinol and copper-zinc-aluminum.
- Dielectric elastomers: Made of electroactive polymers that change shape when voltage is applied. They expand and contract like natural muscles. Common dielectric elastomers are made from acrylic elastomers or silicone rubber.
- Conducting polymers: Contract and expand when charged or discharged. They change volume and shape in response to oxidation or reduction reactions. Common conducting polymers are made from polypyrrole and polyaniline.

Applications in Robotics
Artificial muscles have enabled groundbreaking innovations in soft robotics and led to more lifelike and dexterous robot designs. Some notable applications include:
- Exoskeletons: Powered suits use artificial muscles to enhance human strength for tasks like lifting heavy objects. This helps reduce workplace injuries.
- Prosthetics: Shape memory alloys and dielectric polymers allow prosthetic limbs to mimic natural muscle movements for a more natural gait.
- Grippers and manipulators: Soft robot hands and appendages with embedded muscle-like actuators can grasp fragile objects without damaging them. This is useful for applications like assembly, packaging, and space missions.
- Bioinspired robots: Muscle-powered robots use principles of organisms like octopuses to achieve crawling, swimming, and climbing abilities that are difficult with conventional motors.

Biomedical Applications
These muscles hold promise to revolutionize various medical disciplines through innovative therapies and improved devices:
- Surgical robots: Delicate surgeries like microsurgery benefit from fine, muscle-like control enabled by soft Global Artificial Muscles in robotic arms.
- Catheters and guides: Shape memory alloys allow minimally invasive catheters and guides to navigate complex bodily geometries to access hard-to-reach areas within the body.
- Medical exoskeletons: Powered suits help patients with neurological conditions regain mobility by assisting with tasks like walking or lifting their own limbs.
- Tissue engineering: Some studies are researching the use of conductive polymers to stimulate tissue growth for repairing muscles or other tissues.

Miniaturization for Microdevices
The small size and inherent compliance of these muscles have enabled their use in microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) and other micro-scale technologies:
- Micropumps: Tiny pumps powered by dielectric polymers can precisely dispense drugs, chemicals, or even gene therapies. They are useful for applications including lab-on-a-chip devices and medical implants.
- Microgrippers: Miniaturized versions allow manipulating microscopic objects like cells in biomedical research or assembled microelectronics.
- Microrobots: Combined with other MEMS technologies, these muscles have led to innovative untethered microrobots capable of navigating tight spaces or the human body.

Outlook and Challenges
Global artificial muscle markets are anticipated to expand at double-digit rates over the next decade driven by increased commercialization across industries. However, further advancement requires overcoming certain technical roadblocks:
- Improving power and work density to levels comparable to biological muscles.
- Enhancing cycle-life and fatigue resistance through better material design.
- Integrating with flexible electronics and controls for “smart” functionality.
- Optimizing designs for manufacturability at commercial scales.
- Conducting long-term testing and validation of biocompatibility for medical implants.

With continued research and development, artificial muscles are projected to revolutionize not just robotics but enable transformational applications across transportation, aerospace, prosthetics, medical devices, and more. They are forecast to become a multibillion-dollar global industry within the next 10–15 years.

Get more insights on Global Artificial Muscles