Chemically Driven Oscillating Soft Pneumatic Actuation.

Pneumatic actuators are widely studied in soft robotics as they are facile, low cost, scalable, and robust and exhibit compliance similar to many systems found in nature. The challenge is to harness high energy density chemical and biochemical reactions that can generate sufficient pneumatic pressure to actuate soft systems in a controlled and ecologically compatible manner. This investigation evaluates the potential of chemical reactions as both positive and negative pressure sources for use in soft robotic pneumatic actuators.

[A Rare Differential Diagnosis of Chronic Cough].

 We report on a 62-year-old male patient with dry cough for 3 months, constitutional symptoms and elevated inflammatory markers.  Despite extensive diagnostics no infectious, malignant or rheumatologic disease could be found. Bronchoscopy with bronchoalveolar lavage showed lymphocytosis.

Light-Triggered Soft Artificial Muscles: Molecular-Level Amplification of Actuation Control Signals.

The principle of control signal amplification is found in all actuation systems, from engineered devices through to the operation of biological muscles. However, current engineering approaches require the use of hard and bulky external switches or valves, incompatible with both the properties of emerging soft artificial muscle technology and those of the bioinspired robotic systems they enable. To address this deficiency a biomimetic molecular-level approach is developed that employs light, with its excellent spatial and temporal control properties, to actuate soft, pH-responsive hydrogel artificial muscles.