Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

MIT’s new nylon muscles could lead to actual Westworld hosts
techcrunch.com ^ | Darrell Etherington

Posted on 11/23/2016 8:10:12 AM PST by BenLurkin

MIT has a new nylon-based artificial muscle-like filament created by researchers that could eventually provide the basis for robots with bulging biceps. The filaments themselves look eerily similar to the ones extruded by the 3D printers used in the opening sequence of HBO’s Westworld, which is why Gizmodo and others are seeing parallels between potential applications of the tech and Westworld‘s lifelike hosts.

MIT’s new solution isn’t the first artificial muscle technology developed, but it is simple and low cost, unlike existing offerings. The researchers developing the tech found that specific types of nylon fiber can reproduce some of the bending and stretching actions of muscles when heated. That’s because they shrink in length but expand in diameter, just like our own muscle fibers do, when heat is applied selectively to one side of the material.

Heating specific areas in sequence made it possible for researchers to create more complex and specific movement patterns, like circles and figure eights. The heat source can be pretty much anything, including electrical resistance, chemical reactions or laser light shined on parts of the filament, allowing for use in a wide range of settings and scales.

(Excerpt) Read more at techcrunch.com ...


TOPICS: Computers/Internet; Health/Medicine; TV/Movies
KEYWORDS: fallout; swynths; synths; technology; westworld
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-25 next last

1 posted on 11/23/2016 8:10:12 AM PST by BenLurkin
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: BenLurkin
Did somebody say "nylon muscles"?


2 posted on 11/23/2016 8:12:09 AM PST by Buckeye McFrog
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: BenLurkin

well... think about the potential applications of this is slightly orgasmic to the enlightened mind!

sorry - i had to be the first to go there.


3 posted on 11/23/2016 8:12:43 AM PST by Frapster
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: KC_Lion; rktman; TADSLOS; Lazamataz; GraceG


4 posted on 11/23/2016 8:12:45 AM PST by BenLurkin (The above is not a statement of fact. It is either satire or opinion. Or both.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: BenLurkin

I don’t think the fake muscles are the hard part.


5 posted on 11/23/2016 8:15:06 AM PST by discostu (If you need to load or unload go to the white zone, you'll love it, it's a way of life)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: BenLurkin
Dolores.


6 posted on 11/23/2016 8:21:36 AM PST by Enterprise ("Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities." Voltaire)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: BenLurkin

Alright, who is going “black hat” with me?


7 posted on 11/23/2016 8:26:16 AM PST by Boogieman
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: BenLurkin; rktman; TADSLOS; Lazamataz; GraceG; Gondring
Mankind Redefined: How a Gen-3 Synth is made https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvZRA4C1Oi4


8 posted on 11/23/2016 8:27:57 AM PST by KC_Lion (Trump's Iowa Class Battleships have come within striking distance of Hillary shores and opened fire.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Enterprise
What I wonder is, if Dolores is a "prototype", is there another Dolores running around somewhere? Dolores vs Evil Dolores 2.0 showdown coming?


9 posted on 11/23/2016 8:29:57 AM PST by Boogieman
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: Enterprise

10 posted on 11/23/2016 8:33:18 AM PST by BenLurkin (The above is not a statement of fact. It is either satire or opinion. Or both.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: Boogieman

11 posted on 11/23/2016 8:34:15 AM PST by BenLurkin (The above is not a statement of fact. It is either satire or opinion. Or both.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: Frapster

12 posted on 11/23/2016 8:35:27 AM PST by BenLurkin (The above is not a statement of fact. It is either satire or opinion. Or both.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: BenLurkin

Don’t let the people at Disneys animatronics division get ahold of this. Animatronics are the real life science that “Westworld” used as a point of departure for its plot.

CC


13 posted on 11/23/2016 8:47:15 AM PST by Celtic Conservative (CC: purveyor of cryptic, snarky posts since December, 2000..)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Buckeye McFrog

14 posted on 11/23/2016 8:59:53 AM PST by BenLurkin (The above is not a statement of fact. It is either satire or opinion. Or both.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Boogieman

No way. No Evil Dolores! NOT ON MY WATCH!


15 posted on 11/23/2016 9:01:55 AM PST by Enterprise ("Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities." Voltaire)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: BenLurkin

Dolores is real. I’ve been corresponding with her at meeturlove.org.


16 posted on 11/23/2016 9:03:15 AM PST by Enterprise ("Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities." Voltaire)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: BenLurkin

That’s one mean woman. She shot the Sheriff in the back after he smiled at her and walked away.


17 posted on 11/23/2016 9:04:36 AM PST by Enterprise ("Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities." Voltaire)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: Enterprise

My favorite NPC


18 posted on 11/23/2016 9:05:44 AM PST by BenLurkin (The above is not a statement of fact. It is either satire or opinion. Or both.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 17 | View Replies]

To: BenLurkin
For my fast shrinking demographic this is 'Westworld'.
19 posted on 11/23/2016 9:16:45 AM PST by fella ("As this iiwas before Noah so shall it be again,")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: fella

IN A SHOW WITH EVERYTHING BUT YUUUUUL BR...

Oh. Never mind.


20 posted on 11/23/2016 11:23:03 AM PST by angryoldfatman
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-25 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson