Clone Alpha: The Humanoid Robot With Synthetic Muscles

Clone Robotics, a Polish company specializing in biomimetic robotics, has unveiled its first full-scale humanoid robot, Clone Alpha. This advanced android incorporates synthetic organs, artificial muscles, and a skeletal structure mirroring human anatomy, aiming to push the boundaries of humanoid robotics.

The company seeks to replicate the dexterity and strength of biological beings by mimicking human anatomy before enabling motion, a departure from conventional robotic design.

Clone Alpha Robot. (Image: Clone Robotics)

At the core of Clone Alpha’s functionality is Myofiber, a proprietary artificial muscle technology introduced in 2021. These water-powered muscles attach to anatomically precise points on the skeleton, mimicking mammalian muscle traits like rapid response times, high contraction force, and efficient energy use. The system animates a full human-like skeleton with 206 bones, minor fusions, and fully articulated joints, providing up to 164 degrees of freedom in the upper torso and a realistic range of movement.

Clone Alpha’s muscles.

The robot features a comprehensive nervous system, including 70 inertial sensors for joint feedback, 320 pressure sensors for muscle force monitoring, and visual input from four depth cameras. Data processing relies on NVIDIA’s Jetson Thor GPU running Clone’s Cybernet model. Additionally, a compact electric pump simulates a human heart, delivering hydraulic pressure through an innovative Aquajet valve system for efficient muscle actuation.

Clone Alpha’s bones.

Despite showcasing impressive components and a humanoid torso with lifelike movements, Clone Robotics has not yet demonstrated a fully functional Alpha robot. Moving from prototypes to complete systems will test the scalability of their approach. With pre-orders open for 279 units on its official website, the company aims to solidify its position in the competitive humanoid robotics market by offering unparalleled realism and functionality in artificial beings.

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