Tiny muscles pull a big punch
Coated carbon nanotubes form the basis of smart new material
http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/346486/title/Tiny_muscles_pull_a_big_punch
Though we are a decade (at least!) away from any practical application, I find this quite interesting. I believe that we are starting to achieve breakthroughs that will enable us (as a species, of course) to build machines that might entirely lack any sort of metal or wiring. Current robots tend to be rather inflexible and the command/control mechanisms seem to be rather complicated, the idea of more organic structures seems to be a practical path forward to increase flexibility. Of course, I am sure the best versions will be hybrids of electromechanical and organic.
Then again, perhaps I am just fantasizing.
