For 3.8 billion years, nature has been constantly improving its designs, finding solutions to the planet’s most challenging problems. Just look at the ingenious simplicity of Velcro, which was inspired by the way burdock sticks to a dog’s coat. George de Mestral created a fastening system that mimicked this natural mechanism. The designer of Japan’s Shinkansen train, Eiji Nakatsu, modelled his design on the kingfisher’s beak, which allows the bird to dive into water without splashing. The train’s beak nose significantly reduced the noise it made when entering tunnels and improved its aerodynamics. This is bionics, or biomimetics – an interdisciplinary field that draws on nature’s infinite wealth of ideas to solve human challenges in innovative ways.
In a world where robotics is moving ever closer to the human form, clone robotics is pushing the boundaries of what we have thought possible. While giants such as Tesla focus on basic automation, the Polish-based company is taking a different route – a fascinating and audacious attempt to perfectly replicate human biomechanics. Their journey began with a precision-engineered robotic hand, progressed to a surprisingly realistic humanoid torso, and culminated in a complete musculoskeletal android. Key to this ground-breaking vision is the innovative Myofiber technology, which uses water to power artificial muscles that move with a fluidity, power and dexterity never before seen in the world of robotics. Clone Robotics is pushing the boundaries and bringing us one step closer to an era where androids will be almost indistinguishable from humans.
Clone Alpha
Clone Alpha, a bionic robot developed according to the vision of Polish engineer Łukasz Koźlik, represents a groundbreaking step in the development of humanoid robotics. Thanks to the use of advanced technologies for artificial muscles and organs, this robot has the potential to have a significant impact on people’s everyday lives. The structure developed in Wroclaw combines unique technological solutions with an original design approach, allowing the company to take a competitive position among the world leaders in the robotics industry. What’s more, the robot will be able to effectively assist people in everyday activities, opening up new applications for this type of robot.
Clone Robotics was founded in late 2021 by Dhanush Radhakrishnan, acting CEO, and Lukasz Kozlik, the company’s CTO. The company’s main goal is to create robots that resemble humans in their actions and biomechanical structure. The founders refer to this project as Clone Alpha – a synthetic human capable of performing movements and actions with similar precision and fluidity to the natural human body.
Robot is built using artificial materials, mainly polymers, which mimic muscles, bones, ligaments, fascia and skin.
The first results of the project were seen a few years ago, when a model of a hand and forearm was presented that closely mimicked natural human movements. This project was a continuation of the earlier work of Łukasz Koźlik, who created the first robotic arm in a garage five years ago. This design used redesigned elements of the human skeleton, where the joints acted as ligaments and movement was achieved by means of a 0.7 MPa water pump controlled by electric valves.
From the beginning, creating a hand was a priority. Why was that? Because a robot without a hand will not be able to do much more than walk or nod. The hands are its main tool for functioning in its environment. They are the basis for performing various programmed actions. So far, work on the hand has taken nine years.
Below is the hand and forearm in a video from 7 months ago:
What drives the humanoid?
To move the artificial muscles, the robot uses an innovative hybrid hydraulic-pneumatic system. This system is based on 3D printed flexible hoses that deliver hydraulic fluid or air directly to the artificial muscles (Myofiber technology), controlling their contractions. A powerful 500-watt pump acts as the ‘artificial heart’, generating the high pressure needed to keep the whole system running smoothly.
The choice of a hydraulic-pneumatic system in robotics is a rarely used solution, as modern robots usually use electric drives. However, hydraulics and pneumatics have unique characteristics – advantages that are particularly important in bionic applications. Hydraulic systems generate very high forces with high precision movements, while pneumatic systems are characterised by fast response times and high flexibility. The combination of the two systems therefore provides both high power and exceptional precision and sensitivity of movement, modelled on the natural human musculoskeletal system.
An important part of the overall system is Clone Robotics’ proprietary control valves. These valves act as an intermediary between the robot’s ‘brain’ (the control system) and the muscles, allowing the flow of pressure to be precisely regulated by electrical signals. The result is very precise control of the robot’s movements and responses, similar to natural human reflexes.
Skeletal system
The robot’s skeletal system is designed to be a faithful replica of the human anatomical structure. It consists of all 206 bones connected by articulated joints and a small number of fixed joints. Each joint is fitted with precisely positioned artificial ligaments and flexible artificial connective tissue, giving the android exceptional mobility and natural movement. The relationships between the joints and the artificial muscles reflect the complex relationships found in the human body, taking into account both one-to-many and many-to-many connections.
Particular attention has been paid to the shoulder, where the four joints connecting the humerus to the scapula and clavicle provide up to 20 degrees of rotational and translational freedom. In addition, each vertebra has six degrees of freedom, while the hand, wrist and elbow joints alone provide 26 degrees of freedom. In total, the robot has 164 degrees of freedom in the upper body alone (excluding the lower limbs). The entire advanced system is made of lightweight, low-cost and durable polymer materials.
Four months ago, the upper part of the robot – torso plus arms – was shown. The first bimanual torso includes an actuated elbow, cervical spine (neck) and anthropomorphic arms with sternoclavicular, clavicle-bar, scapula-blade and shoulder-blade joints.
Nervous System
Clone’s nervous system is designed to provide direct and precise control of the muscle control valves. Its operation is based on the direct transmission of neural signals, supported by proprioceptive and visual feedback systems. To ensure accurate perception of the environment, four depth cameras are used in the clone’s ‘skull’. In addition, 70 inertial sensors monitor the position of joints, providing data on their angles and speeds of movement. Another 320 pressure sensors provide detailed feedback on the force generated by individual muscles.
The control and reception of signals from these advanced sensors is achieved through a series of control boards located along the robot’s spine. These are equipped with high-speed microcontrollers that rapidly transmit data to the NVIDIA Jetson Thor inference central processing unit located in Clone’s head. A specialised Cybernet visuomotor model runs on this chip, coordinating all movements and analysing the environment in real time.
Vascular system
The robot’s vascular system represents the pinnacle of advanced hydraulic drive systems. At its heart is an extremely compact 500 watt electric hydraulic pump designed to mimic the structure of the human heart. This pump is incredibly powerful, delivering working fluid at a flow rate of up to 40 SLPM and a rated working pressure of up to 100 psi. This ensures that Clone’s entire muscle system receives effectively controlled and stable hydraulic pressure.
Clone’s Aquajet valve technologies provide extremely efficient fluid flow management. Each valve delivers 100 psi of pressure at a flow rate of 2.28 SLPM, using less than one watt of power. In addition, the valves have a three-way configuration and are housed in miniature bodies just 12mm in diameter, allowing extremely precise positioning and control of the robot’s entire hydraulic system.
Summary
A view of the complete humanoid was unveiled last month. The robot, made up of more than 1,000 artificial muscle fibres, will be completed later this year, with an initial production run of 279 units.
The future of android development will be closely linked to the advanced integration of artificial intelligence, allowing the robot to act autonomously and intelligently. Using technologies such as machine learning, neural networks and reinforcement learning, the robot will be able to autonomously plan movements, recognise objects, make decisions and adapt effectively to a changing environment.
The humanoid will be equipped with 16 basic skills, including household management such as meal preparation, vacuuming, laundry and kitchen inventory management. Social functions are also planned to enable human-like interactions.
Although the robot’s full capabilities have yet to be demonstrated, it is already clear that Protoclone could set a new standard in humanoid robotics.
