Biohybrid bipedal robot powered by skeletal muscle tissue

Summary

Biohybrid robots fabricated by integrating mechanical components with biological materials have recently attracted attention for the development of robots having advanced biomaterial functions. Rapid progress in biohybrid robots, in which the skeletal muscle tissue is formed on a flexible substrate, has enabled various types of robot locomotion powered by muscle tissue. Conventional biohybrid robots can perform straight-line motions or large turning movements; however, they have difficulty with delicate turning movements. With an emphasis on small-turning human bipedal movements, we have developed a biohybrid robot with two legs and cultured skeletal muscle tissue for driving. The robot achieved forward and stop motions and more fine-tuned turning motions than conventional biohybrid robots. We believe that the results provide valuable insights into the development of soft robots driven by muscle tissue and may contribute to the elucidation of biological locomotion mechanisms through a constructive approach by further mimicking the human gait mechanism.