JPL is having two lectures on 'Electroactive Polymers as Artificial Muscles' later this week. They will be broadcast over the Internet. Here is the link:

http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/events/lectures/feb02.html

Also, the March 2002 issue of "Poptronics" has an article on 'Artifical Muscles' that includes information and resources on doing your own experiments.

Here's that URL again for those who are too lazy to cut-n-paste it into their browsers. ;-)

http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/events/lectures/feb02.html