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Related Concept Videos

Muscle Contraction01:15

Muscle Contraction

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In skeletal muscles, acetylcholine is released by nerve terminals at the motor endplate—the point of synaptic communication between motor neurons and muscle fibers. The binding of acetylcholine to its receptors on the sarcolemma allows entry of sodium ions into the cell and triggers an action potential in the muscle cell. Thus, electrical signals from the brain are transmitted to the muscle. Subsequently, the enzyme acetylcholinesterase breaks down acetylcholine to prevent excessive...
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Excitation-Contraction Coupling in Skeletal Muscles01:20

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Excitation-contraction coupling is a series of events that occur between generating an action potential and initiating a muscle contraction. It occurs at the triad, a structure found in skeletal muscle fibers that comprise a T-tubule and terminal cisternae of the sarcoplasmic reticulum on each side. These triads are visible in longitudinally sectioned muscle fibers. They are typically located at the A-I junction — the junction between the A and I bands of the sarcomere.
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Muscle Stimulation Frequency01:22

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The contraction strength of muscles is regulated by motor neurons, which modulate the frequency of action potentials dispatched to the motor units based on the body's requirements. This process of varying the muscle stimulation frequency allows muscles to contract with a force that is precisely tailored to the needs of the moment, whether lifting a feather or a heavy box.
Wave summation
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Exercise induces a range of adaptations in muscle tissue, depending on the type and duration of activity. Such physical training can be broadly categorized into two types: endurance exercises and resistance exercises.
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Design Example: Frog Muscle Response01:14

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A student is tasked to work on an intriguing experiment involving an RL (Resistor-Inductor) circuit to study the muscle response of a frog's leg to electrical stimulation. The RL circuit plays a crucial role in this experiment, providing the means to control and measure the electrical impulses that trigger muscle contraction.
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Bioinspired Twisted Artificial Muscles with Enhanced Performance for Underwater Applications.

Jin Sun1, Yuan Fu1, Shijng Zhang1

  • 1State Key Laboratory of Robotics and Systems, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, Heilongjiang Province, 150001, China.

Advanced Science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany)
|July 11, 2025
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Engineers developed novel twisted artificial muscles (TAMs) for underwater robots. These plant-inspired TAMs offer enhanced deformation, force, and thermal management for improved aquatic robotic performance.

Keywords:
braided‐twisted and plant‐coiled artificial musclesrapid actuation unitsoft actuatorthermal insulation strategyunderwater application

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Area of Science:

  • Robotics and Biomimetics
  • Materials Science

Background:

  • Twisted artificial muscles (TAMs) show potential for robotic locomotion and manipulation.
  • Existing TAMs face challenges in underwater applications, including limited deformation, output force, and heat dissipation, particularly for thermally driven systems.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop a novel TAM configuration for improved underwater robotic functionality.
  • To address limitations in deformation, output force, and thermal management in aquatic environments.

Main Methods:

  • Proposed a new TAM configuration using braided and pre-twisted fiber bundles, inspired by climbing plants.
  • Incorporated a soft insulation layer, mimicking seal blubber, to minimize heat dissipation.
  • Developed a rapid actuation unit employing elastic energy storage and release mechanisms.

Main Results:

  • Achieved a 40.0% contraction ratio under a 300 g load.
  • Demonstrated a 30.5 °C temperature difference due to the insulation layer, reducing heat loss.
  • Attained an angular velocity of 180° s⁻¹ in water using the rapid actuation unit.
  • A bionic ray demonstrator achieved 105 mm displacement and 30° turning angle per actuation cycle.

Conclusions:

  • The novel TAM configuration significantly enhances deformation and output force for underwater applications.
  • The integrated insulation and rapid actuation systems improve efficiency and performance in aquatic environments.
  • These advancements position the proposed TAMs as highly promising for future underwater robotic systems.