"For many years, the idea of a human with bionic muscles immediately brings up images of science fiction---a superhuman character in a TV series," said Bar-Cohen. "As fantastic as that idea may seem, recent developments in electroactive polymers (EAP) may one day make such bionics possible." Bar-Cohen will review the state of the art of these biologically inspired EAPs, which are being developed with lifelike responses and configurations similar to those of animals. He will also look at the challenges and goals of this field of research.

Bar-Cohen is a physicist specializing in electroactive materials and mechanisms as well as ultrasonic nondestructive evaluation at JPL (http://ndeaa.jpl.nasa.gov/). He has authored or co-authored over 250 publications, made numerous presentations at national and international conferences, chaired or co-chaired 20 conferences, has 15 registered patents, and is the editor or co-editor of three books on electroactive polymers and biomimetic robots. His scientific and engineering accomplishments have earned him the 2001 NASA Exceptional Engineering Achievement Medal and many other honors and awards. He is a fellow of the SPIE and ASNT technical societies. Bar-Cohen received his Ph.D. in physics from Hebrew University, Jerusalem.