A hydraulic muscle comprises a hollow carbon nanotube (CNT) yarn tube comprising: a plurality of CNT sheets twisted and wrapped in form of a hollow tube; and a binding agent infiltrated in the plurality of CNT sheets that binds the plurality of the CNT sheets together. A method of manufacturing a hydraulic muscle comprises: twisting and wrapping a plurality of carbon nanotube (CNT) sheets around a core fiber; infiltrating a binding agent in between the plurality of CNT sheets, wherein the binding agent binds the plurality of the CNT sheets together; and removing the core fiber from the plurality of CNT sheets.

A cord comprises a braided sheath of strands having an outer surface, an inner surface, and a central hollow portion defined by the inner surface and having a volume and a core within the central hollow portion of the tubular braided sheath, such that when the cord is in a relaxed state the tubular braided sheath has a cylindrical shape and a relaxed volume of the central hollow portion wherein the core does not fill the relaxed volume of the central hollow portion of the tubular braided sheath; when the cord is in a longitudinal tensioned state, the tubular braided sheath elongates under the longitudinal tension such that a tensioned volume of at least a part of the central hollow portion of the tubular braided sheath is less than the relaxed volume; and the inner surface of the tubular braided sheath of tensioned volume contacts and cinches a surface of the core.

Disclosed herein are methods of using spun synthetic fibers to model ligaments of a joint of an animal. Further disclosed are models of joints which comprise spun synthetic fibers used to model ligaments. In certain aspects, the models of joints can be used for instructional purposes, as phantom models for testing medical devices or as models for calibration of tools used in physiological and/or biomechanical measurement.

Actuators (artificial muscles) comprising twisted polymer fibers generate tensile actuation when powered thermally. In some embodiments, the thermally-powered polymer fiber tensile actuator can be incorporated into an article, such as a textile or garment.

Sheath-run artificial muscles (or SRAMs) are described in which the dimensional changes and/or modulus changes of a sheath on the surface of a twisted or coiled host yarn or fiber drives torsional and tensile actuation. The sheath-core artificial muscle includes a sheath on a coiled core yarn or fiber that has inserted twist, in which the sheath does not include a yarn, the coiled core yarn or fiber includes a core yarn or fiber, the sheath can change volume, modulus, or a combination thereof when actuated by an influence source to drive actuation, and the influence source is selected from a group consisting of absorption processes, desorption processes, changes in temperature, changes in external pressure, changes in a magnetic field, changes in an electric field, exposures to actinic radiation, electrochemical charge and discharge, chemical reactions, and combinations thereof. These sheath-run muscles can be used for diverse applications, such as robots, robotic devices, energy harvesters, muscles that enable electrical energy harvesting, comfort-adjusting textiles, comfort-adjusting clothing, bio-powered intelligent muscles that control the release of drugs, muscles for appropriate drug delivery, intelligent muscles that sense their environment and actuate in response, muscles for artificial limbs and orthotic gloves, muscles for haptic applications, muscles that can perform in extreme environments, and muscles for intelligent solar panel positioning.

Provided herein is an electrodeposition apparatus for producing long polymeric threads, yarns, or ropes. A method of preparing long polymeric threads, yarns or ropes also is provided.

Adjuncts for use with a surgical stapler are provided. In one exemplary embodiment, an adjunct can include a first knitted layer, a second knitted layer, and a plurality of recesses that extend into and defined within the second knitted layer. The plurality of recesses can be arranged in a predefined pattern that coincides with a plurality of attachment features extending outward from a top surface of a cartridge such that each recess of the plurality of recesses is configured to engage with at least a portion of at least one attachment feature to form a friction fit therebetween to thereby retain the adjunct on the cartridge prior to staple deployment. Stapling assemblies for use with a surgical stapler are also provided.

A stable conductive myocardial patch with a negative Poisson's ratio structure is provided. The preparation method includes preparing a myocardial patch substrate with concave polygons as the structural units by weaving or knitting, and then a conductive coating is coated on the surface of the substrate. Alternatively, the yarns can be processed into conductive coated yarns first, and then used as the raw material to weave or knit a stable conductive myocardial patch with a negative Poisson's ratio structure. The prepared myocardial patch has a relative resistance change of less than 5% at 50% tensile strain. When the strain of the structural units is within 50%, the fabric exhibits a negative Poisson's ratio structure, which expands in the perpendicular direction of the tensile load. The fabric exhibits a negative Poisson's ratio effect and anisotropy of Young's modulus, which matches the mechanical behavior of natural myocardium.

A smart bra to detect abnormal breast tissue with a plurality of light emitters which transmit near-infrared light into breast tissue and a plurality of light receivers which receive the light after it has passed through breast tissue, wherein changes in light intensity or spectral distribution in the light caused by passing through the breast tissue are used to identify abnormal breast tissue.

Actuators (artificial muscles) comprising twist-spun nanofiber twist-inserted polymer fibers generate tensile actuation when powered electrically, photonically, chemically, thermally, by absorption, or by other means. These artificial muscles utilize coiled polymer fibers and can be either neat or comprising a guest. In some embodiments, the coiled polymer fibers actuator can be incorporated into an article, such as a textile, braid, clothing, smart packaging, or a mechanical system, and the coiled polymer fiber in the coiled polymer fiber actuator can have a stroke amplification factor of 5 or greater.