The unusual beak of the Humboldt squid, shown being carried by a fisherman above, a robot-steering \"robo-moth,\" and a newly discovered phenomenon related to vibrating cell phones are all hinting at what might lie on the horizon for better prosthetic limbs.
— Bryn Nelson"; Tech_Frontiers_Prosthetics_080505[i++] = new Array("","Looking to a squid's beak","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Video/080507/080512-Frontiers-Prosthetics-1.hmedium.jpg","","Image: Humboldt squid beak", "", "", "", "", "", "", "Courtesy of Science", "273", "379", "#000000", "", "", "", ""); Tech_Frontiers_Prosthetics_080505[i-1].body = "Looking to a squid's beak
The unusual parrot-like beak of the Humboldt squid, shown here, changes in stiffness by 100-fold from its sharp tip to the point where it attaches to the squid's soft, fleshy body. A similarly graded material could be a boon for next-generation prosthetics, supplying a strong limb but a body-friendly fitting."; Tech_Frontiers_Prosthetics_080505[i++] = new Array("","The promise of piezoelectricity","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photo_StoryLevel/080505/080505-cell-phone.hmedium.jpg","","Image: cell phone", "", "", "", "", "", "Andreas Rentz", "Getty Images file", "273", "137", "#000000", "", "", "", ""); Tech_Frontiers_Prosthetics_080505[i-1].body = "The promise of piezoelectricity
The same phenomenon that causes a cell phone to vibrate, piezoelectricity, might be exploited to create strong and flexible composite materials that still generate electricity. All three elements might be required for future prosthetic systems that provide natural movement to robotic limbs in response to transmitted signals. "; Tech_Frontiers_Prosthetics_080505[i++] = new Array("","Powering future prosthetics","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Video/080507/080512-Frontiers-Prosthetics-3.hmedium.jpg","","Image: schematic of piezoelectrics", "", "", "", "", "", "", "Courtesy of Pradeep Sharma/University of Houston", "266", "423", "#000000", "", "", "", ""); Tech_Frontiers_Prosthetics_080505[i-1].body = "Powering future prosthetics
Scientists believe the power of what they're dubbing \"piezoelectrics on steroids\" lies in how materials are pushed, pulled or prodded at the nanostructural level, represented by this schematic of a tiny diving board-like lever being depressed downward. At this level, even materials that don't normally generate electricity could be tricked into doing so by applying a particular force to them. One potential result? Strong materials that still transmit the electrical signals necessary for future prosthetics."; Tech_Frontiers_Prosthetics_080505[i++] = new Array("","Robo-moth","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Video/080507/080512-Frontiers-Prosthetics-4.hmedium.jpg","","Image: Robo-moth", "", "", "", "", "", "", "Courtesy of Charles Higgins/University of Arizona", "273", "364", "#000000", "", "", "", ""); Tech_Frontiers_Prosthetics_080505[i-1].body = "Robo-moth
For a contraption dubbed \"robo-moth,\" the brain and eyes of a hawk moth have been used to steer a six-inch-tall, wheeled robot. The application could help scientists learn more about neural processes, such as ones that might be needed to control the movements of future robotic limbs."; // END editorial data