http://www.imagesco.com/articles/airmuscle/AirMuscleDescription02.html

There is your source.

Posted at 8:35 am on Dec 21st, 2008 by Solenoidclock

Here is a better guide on how to make air muscles.
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-make-air-muscles!/

Posted at 8:37 am on Dec 21st, 2008 by Prowler50mil

Awesome translation.

Posted at 9:39 am on Dec 21st, 2008 by Ali Raheem

Old news is SO EXCITING! I first read that ‘anthroform arm’ project (it’s the one with the white colored sleeve) in the late nineties for g-d’s sake.

Posted at 11:55 am on Dec 21st, 2008 by Tachyon

They’re called McKibben Muscles (sometimes McKibbon)

Posted at 12:16 pm on Dec 21st, 2008 by Triffid Hunter

i believe i saw these in the book “gadgeteer’s goldmine”… and that came out a _while_ ago. very similar execution.

Posted at 12:57 pm on Dec 21st, 2008 by zinguvok

Seems on wikipedia they are known as PAM:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pneumatic_artificial_muscles

I quote:
PAMs were first developed (under the name of McKibben Artificial Muscles) in the 1950s for use in artificial limbs.
–
1950’s eh, bit slow in development for such a simple useful invention?

Posted at 4:06 pm on Dec 21st, 2008 by Wwhat

I’ve made these before too, they’re super simple. Some free used bike tubes from a bike shop (just ask) and some of that finger-trap style expandable sheathing for running wires and such (frys, mcmaster, etc) and they’re pretty simple. Bike tires run at 60psi or so (mountain bike) so I’d stay under that, but they’re not hard to make.

Why has the tech not taken off? Air powered stuff still needs a pump and valves and possibly a tank, which makes it a pain to setup, and not very compact. That’s why I’ve never done anything with them anyway.
-Taylor

Posted at 11:29 pm on Dec 21st, 2008 by Taylor Alexander