This robot has more than a thousand artificial muscles, and its skeleton follows the structure of the human body. This is Protoclone from Clone Robotics. It was first shown in February 2025.
How it is built
- the polymer skeleton reproduces the anatomy of 206 human bones;
- artificial muscles and tendons are attached to the skeleton: they pull the bones and bend the joints;
- ligaments and tendon attachment points follow the human pattern to preserve the natural mechanics of movement;
- the prototype has more than 200 degrees of freedom, and hundreds of sensors track its position.
According to the developers, one muscle fiber weighing three grams pulls with a force of at least the weight of a one-kilogram load and reacts in less than five hundredths of a second.
What was really shown
In the demonstration the robot is suspended from a frame, so this video does not show independent walking. The company's goal is to create an android for everyday tasks, but Protoclone is still a prototype for testing: the developers have yet to turn the unusual design into a useful helper.
Hand and power
Separately, Clone tested a robotic hand. In one of the videos the company showed that the whole hand system with its power supply can be packed into a suitcase: according to the company, the entire setup weighs 8 kg. This is a response to guesses that the hand needs a huge compressor, and a step toward a portable design without which a household helper is impossible.
Why this matters
Most humanoids are built on electric motors in the joints. Clone takes a different path: it copies anatomy to get movements close to human ones. The approach is risky and far from a production product, but such experiments show where the limits of the possible lie.
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Frequently asked questions
Can Protoclone walk by itself?
In the video shown the robot is suspended from a frame; independent walking is not demonstrated.
Can Protoclone be bought?
No, it is a prototype for testing. There is no data on sales.
How is Protoclone different from other humanoids?
It copies human anatomy: a polymer skeleton, artificial muscles and tendons instead of electric motors in the joints.
