KYW Newsradio’s Medical Reports are sponsored by Independence Blue Cross.
But what about when a muscle is permanently damaged — what can be done?
Researchers at MIT have looked at this question and they are trying to develop ways to build robotic muscles. The sciences have found a product in nature that is resilient and can contract much like a muscle.
Scientists are looking at spider silk, which has a property called super contraction. The silk can shrink and exert tremendous force.
With specific stimulation, spider silk also can provide torsional force. This is unlike any other fiber either, natural or man-made.
According to the scientists, spider silk responds to changes in humidity. They are now looking at why humidity has this impact and if they can somehow find another way to make the spider silk do what they want it to do.