Clone Robotics, a Polish robotics firm, has captured attention with its latest innovation—a humanoid torso with remarkable human-like movements. Though it might look unsettlingly realistic, this robotic torso showcases cutting-edge engineering that could one day redefine robotics in industrial settings.
Unlike household-friendly bots from companies like Tesla, which focus on bipedal robots designed to assist with daily tasks, Clone Robotics is venturing into uncharted territory by mimicking human biomechanics in robotics. Clone’s recent showcase video demonstrates this humanoid torso’s lifelike abilities, highlighting intricate movements enabled by advanced biomimetic engineering.
The Polish company began with a robotic hand that mimics the complexity of human anatomy, including an agile thumb capable of grasping and rotating objects. Building on this success, the Clone team developed a full torso, complete with a neck, articulated shoulders, and an impressive array of joints that mirror those in human anatomy—such as the sternoclavicular and glenohumeral joints.
The robotic torso’s internal framework includes a lightweight skeleton designed to support mechanical components and house a system of pumps, valves, and hydraulic systems. This hydraulic system circulates water through tubes, activating artificial muscles to replicate the natural movement of tendons and muscles. The robotic torso’s unique setup achieves movement by pushing water through its “muscles,” a process powered by a compact, battery-operated pump.
Clone Robotics’ approach—building human-like features and then working out movement mechanics afterward—results in an eerily lifelike form that could find applications beyond typical robotic use cases. While this torso might appear unsettling, the company envisions it as a useful tool for industrial applications, where it could replace human labor on assembly lines or other dexterous tasks requiring human-like strength and control.
Additionally, Clone Robotics is exploring the potential for its robotic hands in the medical field. Through teleoperation, these hands could be controlled remotely to assist in patient rehabilitation, helping patients regain muscle function by manipulating objects with precision.