Tekirdag Namik Kemal University (NKU) Corlu Faculty of Engineering Dean Ozer Goktepe and Head of Department Fatma Goktepe have achieved a discovery with their teams in the research they attended in America.
Scientists who produced an artificial muscle out of fishing line with the researchers in America suggested that great successes might be achieved in many areas from health to textile with the artificial muscle. The artificial muscle produced is intended for being used in hominoid robots and wearable external skeleton production, developed prothesis, paralyzed patients, heart conditions, smart motorless movement systems. A muscle that has the power to lift 117 times more weight than human muscle will be achieved with the discovery attained in the researches made in Texas state of America. Patients will be rehabilitated through this method which also can be applied especially in patients who are paralyzed and cannot use their muscles. Lives will be saved by giving a small move to the heart through this method which also can be used in treatment of heart conditions. The most important characteristic of the artificial muscle sutures achieved is that they have ability to elongate and shorten better than the carbon nanotube sutures. The mechanical work produced by the artificial muscle of 1kg which is durable and tireless and through which 30 times more elongation and shortening than a normal human can be achieved with the muscle produced is equal to speed of a jet engine.
ROBOTS HAVING A HOMINOID FACE WILL BE PRODUCED
Producing robots which have a hominoid face will be possible with the muscle that does not provide any permanent deformation. While the muscle can be stimulated by heat, light that can produce heat, electricity or chemical stimulus and microwaves, it is striking that its usage area is wide. While it is possible to produce wearable external skeletons, people will be able to carry 500 kg due to these external skeletons. The muscle of which patent has been secured is intended for being used in humans within 5 years and in other areas within 2-3 years after the animal experiments.
“ARTIFICIAL MUSCLE IS ONE OF THE DREAMS OF PEOPLE”
Making a statement about the subject, NKU Corlu Faculty of Engineering Dean Prof.Dr. Ozer Goktepe expressed that the artificial muscle is one of the dreams of people and said: “It is a subject on which many teams have studied for a period more than 10 years. We also have been interested in this subject. This team is one of the special teams studying on material around the world. When we went there, we saw that they tried to produce an artificial muscle by using a well developed material which we call carbon nanotube. We also studied on the artificial muscle by using this material. However, the material is very expensive. In addition, there were disadvantages of this method within itself. It is impossible to develop a similar product that is reproducible and sustainable. It is a material that can be produced in only a few centers around the world. We thought that we should find a simpler, easier and cheaper solution for this problem. While we continued our researches, we discovered that we could achieve these artificial muscle sutures out of the materials we commonly use in textile which are called fishing line. During the study, we realized that these materials also could make the movements of elongation and shortening like human muscle, and we focused our study on this side. This arose a serious excitement for the team. After this discovery, the study changed its way on this direction. We think that production of the artificial muscle in such an easy and cheap way is a significant step for humanity.”
“VERY STRONG MATERIAL”
Expressing that when the material produced is compared with a normal human muscle in the same length and mass, it has ability to lift 117 times more weight than the normal human muscle, Prof. Dr. Ozer said that the material was very strong and artificial muscle of 1 kg was equal to the speed of jet engine. Prof. Dr. Ozer, who pointed out that the muscles also can turn around its own axis, said: “In other words, you can also use these as an engine. You can use very important factors to stimulate this muscle. You can stimulate this muscle by using heat, light that can produce heat, electricity or chemical stimulus. It is even possible to do this with microwaves. This gives you eternal possibilities for the areas you can use this muscle.”
“ITS APPLICATION AREAS DEPEND ON IMAGINATION”
Suggesting that the application areas of the material depend on imagination of person, Prof.Dr.Ozer expressed that it may be used firstly in production of hominoid robots. Prof.Dr.Ozer, indicating that human face cannot be imitated in available hominoid robots, said: “Because there are about 80-100 muscles. It will be possible to develop hominoid robots resembling exactly human due to these muscles. Apart from that, there is the subject of wearable external skeletons. When soldiers normally lift up to 80- 100 kg, they will be able to lift 500 kg with the external skeletons which will be made out of this artificial muscle. Furthermore, it is possible to produce well developed prothesis with the artificial muscle. It will be possible to provide patients who are paralyzed and cannot use their muscles with the opportunity of using their limbs again due to this artificial muscle. When we talk to our cardiologist fellows, they said that even giving a small move to heart was a life saver. We hope we will work with them again. If we can apply this, we will have a chance to prevent many fatal heart conditions. Prof.Dr.Ozer who indicates that the patent of the artificial muscle developed is secured by the international team, said: “There is no obstacle for using this material on especially hominoid robots and machines. In usage for medical purposes, there are steps like first animal experiments and then human experiments. Some modifications suitable for human tissue may be required. After these steps, it will be possible for us to use this material we developed on humans within the next 5 years. This will be shorter in other areas. I guess this material will be commonly used in the machines and robots we use in market within 2-3 years. Prof. Dr. Fatma Goktepe, Head of Department in NKU Corlu Faculty of Engineering said that they studied on textile structures of which pores can work as heat sensitive with the material. Emphasizing that the discovery is an important step to create smart textile areas, Prof.Dr.Goktepe, “We will continue our studies also this summer. Light sensitive folding windows will be real without using any engine or electrical power due to these muscle sutures. Prof.Dr.Goktepe, emphasizing that the most important characteristic of the muscle sutures achieved is that they have an ability to highly elongate and shorten better than carbon nanotube, said: “While normal human muscle elongates and shortens in a rate of 20%, we reached 50% with the muscle suture we produced. It is a really serious record. In addition, its another important advantage is that we can repeat the elongation and shortening in question for a million times. And this does not cause any permanent deformation, compared to other alternative artificial muscle sutures used around the world.”
