Artificial Muscle Research Institute, University of New Mexico
The Artificial Muscle Research Institute (AMRI) of the University of New Mexico is a research laboratory focused on the study of active materials known as Artificial Muscles. The AMRI’s research focuses on artificial muscles and ionic polymer gels.
The lab’s director, Professor Mohsen Shahinpoor, and several researchers at this institute have worked on a project concerning human eyes. Here the group researched an artificial eye muscle designed to correct refractive errors using a remotely controlled action of artificial muscles that are implanted around the eye’s sclera.
The group stated that instead of having to wear corrective lenses or bifocals to read, a person who is fitted with the artificial eye muscle could simply flick a switch located behind his or her ears, akin to those wearing a hearing aid, in order to see clearly. When he or she is finished reading, the muscle can easily be turned off, and vision resumes its normal focus.
Professor Shahinpoor is also greatly attributed for attempting to power a skeleton using polymer gels muscles. Professor Shahinpoor, together with Mehran Mojarrad, was also responsible for the creation of soft actuators and artificial muscles that were submitted to the US Patent office February 5, 1999. Here a chemical and/or mechanical/electrical treatment is used to treat ion-exchanged materials in order to convert them into artificial muscles. Through this process, artificial muscles are capable of undergoing electronically-controllable large deformations akin to the behavior of real muscles.
The lab’s director was also able to make an artificial hand composed of polymer-metal composite move its fingers by applying voltage. The fingers curled into a fist, coming to life when voltage was applied.
Since the early 1990s, the institute has been developing electronic polymers that can be used for sensors, actuators, and artificial muscles.
