Cornell University researchers have developed a lightweight, stretchable material that has potential for use in prosthetic body parts, artificial organs, and soft robotics. Air and liquid can be pumped through connected pores, allowing the material to change its length by up to 300 percent.
The polymer foam begins as a liquid that can be poured into a mold to create shapes. The carbon fiber and silicone outer structure expands at different rates on the surface.
While applications for use inside the body require federal approval and testing, the Cornell researchers are close to making a prosthetic hand with the so-called “elastomer foam.” The team also demonstrated a pump they made into a heart, mimicking both shape and function.
