Robot with “bones and muscles”.

A robot that accurately imitates the proportions of the human body.

Imagine a robot that not only looks like a human, but can also reproduce complex movements with the same precision as us, researchers from the JSK lab at the University of Tokyo took a big step in this direction by developing a robotic forearm that accurately imitates the proportions of the human body, weight, muscle arrangement and joint performance.

The robotic forearm was designed with a radioulnar joint, a structure that closely reflects human anatomy, allowing for complex movements such as those we perform when typing, turning a knob, or even swinging a badminton racket.

This Innovation was possible thanks to the creation of miniature bone-muscle modules, which integrate two motors into a single component, saving space and maximizing efficiency. These miniature motors were developed with an advanced heat dissipation system using the bone structure as a means of keeping engines cool, ensuring stable performance.

Very advanced results combined “Bones – muscle”.

This resulted in a forearm that not only has the appearance and function similar to that of the human arm, but also has the ability to perform precise and skillful movements. To demonstrate the potential of this technology, the robot equipped with this forearm called kengoro was tested and A series of tasks requiring high precision, he managed to perform actions such as soldering, opening books, turning screws and even swinging a badminton racket all with the same dexterity that would be expected of a human being.

This specially designed radioulnar joint allowed Kengoro to perform smooth, controlled movements with low stiffness and high efficiency in torque transfer, which is crucial for activities requiring both precision and speed.

The next step for two researchers will be to create a complete humanoid powered by tendons using these bone-muscle and miniature modules, expanding this technology to other parts of the robotic body. They are also interested in further exploring the biological meaning of the radioulnar joint, seeking to discover even new movements. more complex and skilled.

This advance can change the way we see the interaction between humans and robots, bringing these machines even closer to the physical capabilities that we considered exclusively human, the future of manual robots seems to be approaching quickly and is undoubtedly impressive, the details of the The team's research was published in the journal Arxiv and can be read using the link in the reference.