Category:	Science and Technology
Domain:	Biology and Biotechnology, Chemistry, Materials
Keywords:	Materials - polymers, material science, chemistry, medical devices, biomedical engineering, biomimetics, robotics
Outlook:	Two new types of 'intelligent' polymers may be a source of design innovation over the coming decade, especially in the biomedical field. Mass commercial applications may follow.
Summary Analysis:	Advances in polymer chemistry in recent decades have led to a couple of 'intelligent' materials that are manipulable or responsive to user needs: Electroactive polymers (EAPs) are materials that change size or shape in response to an electrical current. These polymers have been used to make motion-producing 'artificial muscle' – a material that contracts in response to electric current. Artificial muscle may replace electrical motors in some applications because they may offer advantages in size, weight, and manufacturing cost. Stanford Research Institute has been a leader in the development of these new materials and has tested applications for springs, pumps, coatings, loudspeakers, and small motors. Of particular interest are biomedical applications. Shape-memory polymers (SMPs) are materials that can remember their original shape after having been stressed. Metal alloys that have 'memory' have been known since the 1930s, but research on shape-memory polymers since the 1980s has shown them to have greater manipulability and ease of production than the equivalent alloys. These polymers can revert back to an original shape when exposed to certain temperatures or ultraviolet radiation for example. These materials are still largely in the demonstration stage of development, but many research advances are expected in the next decade, with commercial applications coming in 10 to 20 years.

	Implications:	Decrease in size and cost of things like valves and springs, where EAP devices can replace electric motors Potential for surgery to be improved or minimized with flexible, possibly biodegradable, materials such as catheters, and implanted devices that adjust to the body Improvement of fabrics so that they adjust to the weather Potential for materials and equipment that can aid human functioning in space
	Early Indicators:	Launching in 1999 of the WorldWide ElectroActive Polymer (WW-EAP) Newsletter by Caltech’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) Mitsubishi's marketing of Diaplex, an 'intelligent' polyurethane-based fabric with pores that expand when temperatures rise, for use in cold-weather clothing and other applications Announcement in 2003 by EAMEX, Japan, of the first commercial product using EAPs: a robotic fish selling for $100 Issuing of a patent in Sweden and Australia in January 2005 to Micromuscle AB for 'Microtools', EAPs with surgical applications Hosting of the first arm-wrestling contest between humans and EAP-actuated robots by the annual international EAP Actuators and Devices conference in March 2005 Creation in May 2005 by Andreas Lendlein at GKSS Research Center in Teltow, Germany, of an SMP that is responsive to ultraviolet light
	What to Watch:	Prototype devices and novelty applications demonstrate the unique properties of intelligent polymers during the next decade. EAPS are used in steerable catheters during the next decade. SMPs replace shape-memory alloys in the next 5 to 20 years. A biomimetic robot is demonstrated in the next 10 to 20 years.
	Parallels/Precedents:	Development of shape-memory alloys
	Enablers/drivers:	Continuation of basic research efforts in polymer chemistry Improvement in the strength of artificial muscles Increased demand for specialized fabrics and coatings
	Leaders:	Regions: Germany, US, Japan, South Korea Institutions: Optoelectronics Group, University of Cambridge [link] Sheffield University [link] Linkoping University, Sweden Technical Research Centre of Finland (VTT) [link] Eamex Corporation Japan [link] Institute of Polymer Research, Germany [link] University of Tokushima, Japan (Hiroaki Misawa) [link] California Institute of Technology Stanford Research Institute (SRI) Massachusetts Institute of Technology Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Testing and Research, Dubingen [link]
	Figures:
	Sources:	Ashley, Steven. "Shape-Shifters: Shape-memory polymers find use in medicine and clothing." Scientific American v284, no. 5 (2001): 20-22. Ashley, Steven. "Artificial Muscles." Scientific American v289, no. 4 (2003): 52-59. Goho, Alexandra. "Shape Shifter." Science News 167, no. 19 (2005): 301. Bar-Cohen, Yoseph. 2004. "Electric Flex: Electrically activated plastic muscles will let robots smile, arm-wrestle, and maybe even fly like bugs." Spectrum Online. Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. June. [link] "WorldWide Electroactive Polymer Actuators (Artificial Muscles) Webhub." NASA. [link] "The A to Z of Materials." AZOM [link] "Micromuscles." Micromuscle AB [link] "Diaplex: The Intelligent Material." Mitsubishi. [link] E Smela et al. "Conducting polymers as artificial muscles: challenges and possibilities." 1993 J. Micromech. Microeng. 3 203-205 [link] Lendlein, A. Langer, R "Biodegradable, Elastic Shape Memory Polymers for Potential Biomedical Applications." Science 296, 1673-1675. 2002. Finkelmann, H. Nishikawa, E. (University of Freiburg, Germany) and Pereira G., Warner, M. (University of Cambridge, UK) "A New Optomechanical Effect in Solids." Physical Review Letters, vol 87 no. 1. July 2 2001. "Tiny Robots Flex their Plastic Muscles." June 29 2000. BBC Online. [link]

	At A Glance:	When:	3–10 years
		Where:	Global
		How Fast:	Years
		Likelihood:	High
		Impact:	Medium-Low
		Controversy:	Medium

Related Outlooks: