A Clever New Robotic 'Muscle' Seriously Lifts, Bro

While these robots may look like us, they aren't built like us--electric motors in their joints drive their herky-jerky movements, whereas our muscles give us more precise control over our bodies. But a burgeoning field called soft robotics promises to bring more "natural" movements to the machines. And today, a pair of papers in Science and Science Robotics detail a clever new variety of robotic "muscle," a series of oil-fueled pouches activated with electricity. This actuator (aka the bit that moves a robot) is as strong and efficient as human muscle, but can pull off more contractions per second. Which could make for a prosthesis that moves more naturally, perhaps--or maybe farther down the road, soft yet strong robots that help you around the house without accidentally terminating you.