Is there a material that goes stiff when voltage is applied...?

Hi,

hope I'm not barking up the wrong (forum) tree here,

I was thinking about how I could make a foldable cubicle... I recall seeing some kind of material which is rather loose, but becomes stiff when voltage is applied. Has anyone seen something like this? Available ($$$...) for mere humans?

Any other ideas in regards to the project are very welcome indeed - thanks in advance!

Muscles - they tighten right up when voltage is applied!

Maybe air mattress kind of thing. Pressurize with air, let it out when you want to put it away. No need to keep blowing air once full.

maybe check nitinol?

Sure this topic (with the exactly the same words you have used) were posed in a spanish language thread, you will receive a lot of "double sense" answers :wink:

Not sure what you really are looking for.... since I've seen this I think this is to cool not to mention.
maybe coffee and vacuum can do the trick XD

Thanks all for your input, 'preciate it much.

I came across this, some MIT professor made himself a pair of new legs when he had his own amputated... In the video he demonstrates the kind of material I think I was fantasizing about, don't remember at what time in the vid but check it out, it's the coolest thing ever; Hugh Herr: The new bionics that let us run, climb and dance | TED Talk

Anyways, thanks y'all.

Yes that is a really good ted talk.
Can you buy this electrical stiffening material?
Best regards
Jantje

I have been trying to buy artificial muscles myself, but no success yet.
The memory metal can be bought easily but that's not what I want.

I am not sure if this is relevant but there are liquids that turn solid by application of a magnetic or electric field.
Used for electrical clutches istr.
MUTR used to do it but i cannot find them now.

there are liquids that turn solid by application of a magnetic

if you mix up a paste of corn starch and put a current through it, it will set like concrete until you turn the current off

I tried it with 12V @ about 500mA, freaking awesome!

The mixture was about the consistency of pancake batter.

Probably not what you're looking for, but fun to try