Will Artificial Muscle Make You Stronger?

The world’s first human-robot arm-wrestling match shows off the potential of a new material that someday could power machines—and even human limbs and organs

August 2, 2005

The Long View

The Swiss team envisions shape-shifting airplanes.Timothy Archibald

Inhuman Strength

Who acted as the event's boisterous emcee. Facing page: Panna Felsen, in safety goggles, weighs in against the acid-propelled arm of Virginia Tech undergrads Noah Papas, Stephen Ros and Steve DesoTimothy Archibald

Inhuman Strength

The arm-wrestling match grew from a challenge issued six years ago by NASA physicist Yoseph Bar-CohenTimothy Archibald

The Long View

Winning would be nice, but the robots are proof-of-concept tests. Mohsen Shahinpoor has a heart pump in the works.Timothy Archibald

by Timothy Archibald

Among the rules: robot arms shouldn't "perform any irritating acts," such as flashing blinding lights.Timothy Archibald

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