Humanoid robot that imitates the human body

1,000 muscles move this humanoid

Imagine a robot that is not what we so-called men of tin are used to, a robot that flexes muscles, moves joints, responds to the environment and imitates the anatomy of a human being.

Its name is Protoclone, a humanoid robot with an anatomical structure so precise that it even reflects the muscular, skeletal, nervous and vascular systems of the human body and now the most recent video from Clone Robotics leaves no doubt, the future of androids is closer and stranger than ever.

While most robots are made with rigid structures and make it clear that they are machines, the Protoclone has more than 1,000 artificial muscles called myofibers, attached to an artificial skeleton identical to that of a real human being.

These muscles flex, contract and coordinate as in a biological body and the level of control and realism is so high that even the ligaments and joints were reproduced with terrifying precision. Behind this almost organic movement there is an artificial hydraulic-vascular system that pumps fluid to the muscles just as blood runs through our body.

The Protoclone is unlike anything we have seen.

Each movement of the Protoclone is controlled by microcontrollers distributed in the spine, supported by an Nvidia Jetson Thor GPU in the skull, processing commands based on pressure sensors, depth cameras and inertial sensors, resulting in a robot able to react in less than 50 milliseconds with muscle contractions of up to 30% and force of more than 1 k per muscle fiber.

To coordinate all this, the Protoclone runs a visual-motor control model called Cybernet, which combines vision and movement to generate realistic movements, and this is not just a robot that obeys commands, it is an attempt to create a physical intelligence with spatial awareness and body control comparable to that of a living being.

The current model still relies on pneumatic systems but the next generation already promises advanced hydraulic actuators, making movements even more precise and terrifyingly human.

While other companies dream of robots that wash dishes or fold clothes, Clone Robotics is committed to complex and human functionalities such as precise manipulation, realistic walking and full body expressions, the idea is that these robots can one day act in surgeries, rescues, medical simulations and even as synthetic doubles in dangerous environments.

It is the type of robot that not only copies the shape, but also simulates the functional essence of a human body. The Protoclone may be just a UI prototype but we are witnessing the birth of a new generation of humanoids with muscles, bones and perhaps even emotions. Clone Robotics wants to push the limits of biometric robotics. I just don't know if the world is ready for that.