Non-newtonian fluid (nnf) filled cable and method

A method, comprising:

• providing a cable comprising non-Newtonian fluid (NNF) sealed a cavity of a flexible tube, said NNF having viscosity that varies with shear stress,
• applying a load to the cable that subjects the NNF to sheer stress;
• and
• in response to the sheer stress, changing the viscosity of the NNF to dampen motion of the cable.

A cable, comprising:

• a cable comprising a magnetic non-Newtonian fluid (NNF) inside a cavity of a flexible tube, said NNF having viscosity that varies with shear stress and magnetic field;
• one or more coils positioned around the cable and spaced along the length of the cable;
• a current source that supplies electrical current to the coils to produce a magnetic field within the NNF;
• a sensor that senses a condition of the cable indicative of shear stress in the NNF as a measure of the applied load;
• and
• a controller responsive to the sensed condition to adjust the electrical current applied to the coils and change the viscosity of the NNF.