Muscle-Inspired Robot Navigates Tight Spaces, Offers Delicate Control
- tech360.tv
- Aug 29
- 3 min read
A research team, including Dr. Hyung Gon Shin from Samsung Electronics’ Future Robotics Division (formerly a Ph.D. researcher at POSTECH) and Professors Keehoon Kim and Wan Kyun Chung from POSTECH’s Department of Mechanical Engineering, has developed a thin, flexible robotic actuator. Inspired by human muscle proteins, this paper-thin robot can generate strong force, making it suitable for delicate operations in confined environments.
The team’s study, detailing this muscle-inspired robot, has been published in the prestigious journal *Nature Communications*. This innovative technology addresses a critical need for robots that combine both flexibility and strength, which was previously lacking in conventional designs.
Conventional robots typically use rigid metal components, offering strength but limiting their ability to perform delicate motions or operate in restricted areas. There is a growing demand for flexible robots in medical fields for internal surgeries and in industrial settings for tasks such as inspecting complex machinery or cleaning narrow pipelines.
Researchers at POSTECH (Pohang University of Science and Technology) drew inspiration from human muscle movements. They mimicked myosin, a protein responsible for generating large movements through repeated small contractions within muscles.
This concept led to the development of a thin, sheet-shaped pneumatic actuator. While appearing as a simple sheet, its internal structure contains dozens of small air chambers and multi-layered, multi-channel air pathways, enabling its unique capabilities.
When air is injected sequentially into the sheet, surface protrusions move in multiple directions. This process gradually accumulates small forces, resulting in larger, more controlled movements.
Even when bent, the actuator can crawl like a caterpillar using only its protrusions. The robot’s surface can move in six directions—up, down, left, right, and rotation—allowing for flexible control over its speed and distance.
The research team validated the technology’s performance through a series of experiments. The robot demonstrated delicate precision, akin to human fingers, in object manipulation tests.
It also successfully completed tasks involving moving objects underwater. Notably, it can handle tasks like cleaning narrow pipelines, which are difficult for conventional, rigid robots.
A mathematical model was also developed by the team to predict the robot’s movements. This model lays a crucial foundation for designing diverse future applications and further advancements.
This research is expected to bring innovative changes to both everyday life and various industries. In medical settings, these robots could assist with precision surgeries by navigating small openings within the body.
Industrial environments could see robots performing tasks like inspections in confined spaces more efficiently. When applied to home cleaning and caregiving robots, they are expected to interact with people in a more delicate and responsive manner.
Professor Kim described the significance of this study as "successfully integrating a complex three-dimensional pneumatic network within a thin and flexible structure, enabling multi-directional movements through a bio-inspired approach."
He further added, "We hope this technology will be applied in various fields, including surgical robots, collaborative robots in industrial settings, and exploration environments."
This research received support from the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) and the Ministry of Science and ICT, through the Korea Leading Research Center Program. Additional funding came from the Alchemist Project, which is supported by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.
Researchers developed a thin, flexible robotic actuator inspired by human muscle proteins.
The robot can navigate tight spaces and manipulate objects with delicate precision.
It operates by sequentially injecting air into internal chambers, allowing multi-directional movement
Source: EUREKALERT
