Overview

The basic value proposition of artificial muscles is that in principle they can be stronger, more energy-efficient, more compact, lighter, less dense, and more morphologically flexible than traditional actuators. They may also be able to output a far larger force-to-weight ratio, making them particularly suitable for smaller vehicles, wearables, and unmanned systems.

As a result, artificial muscles are highly desirable in a wide range of applications, including strength augmentation in military exoskeletons, medical prosthetics for amputees, locomotion boosters for geriatric and handicapped patients, walker robots, and acoustically quiet underwater propulsion systems.