Company Overview

　NanoMuscle, Inc. is a privately held company that designs and manufactures advanced motion technologies for use in a wide range of consumer devices. With their low cost, small size, and silent operation, NanoMuscle products displace conventional electromagnetic motors and solenoids and for the first time provide miniature, affordable motion.

Company History

　NanoMuscle was founded in 1998 by Rod MacGregor, a technology industry veteran. After 18 months of research and development, the company first previewed its linear motion technology in 2000. NanoMuscle's corporate headquarters is based near Silicon Valley in Antioch, California, and the manufacturing facility is in Tucson, Arizona. Investors include Jacob Tal, Silicom Ventures, Jetta, and the Band of Angels.

Opportunity

　Low power linear motion devices, such as the NanoMuscle Actuator, comprise more than one-third of the $12 billion fractional horsepower motor market. NanoMuscle expects to be the leading supplier of miniaturized motors to industries such as consumer electronics, computer peripherals, automotive, and robot/toy manufacturers. NanoMuscle has a strong IP position with an 18-20 month research and development lead and five pending patents.

Product Overview

　NanoMuscle has developed a unique linear motion device that displaces small electric motors and solenoids, enabling a new class of affordable micro devices. In typical applications, a NanoMuscle actuator will be 1/10th the size and weight of a motor-based solution and consume a fraction of the power. NanoMuscle Actuators also reduce product design cycles by directly interfacing with digital systems, thus eliminating the need for costly analog electronics.

　NanoMuscle Actuators are based on Shape Memory Alloy (SMA). NanoMuscle uses an integrated microprocessor to monitor and adjust motion and speed to overcome traditional restrictions found in SMA.