Japan Creates A Robotic Hand That Uses Living Muscle Tissues To Move
The largest-ever "biohybrid" hand is the size of a newborn's hand.
By Sukhbir Cheema — 17 Feb 2025, 03:23 PM
A team of researchers from the University of Tokyo has made a significant advancement in biohybrid robotics by unveiling a robotic hand powered by living muscle tissue
Measuring 18cm in length — roughly the size of a newborn's hand — the device features five independently moving fingers and represents the largest biohybrid structure of its kind.
Published in Science Robotics, the research details how the team, led by Xinzhu Ren and Shoji Takeuchi, developed a new muscle actuator capable of generating more force and longer contractions than previous biohybrid models.
Traditional biohybrid designs have been constrained by limited movement and fragility, often failing to sustain muscle viability.
The biohybrid hand uses a "sushi roll" approach — bundling ultra-thin strands of human tissue to ensure adequate nutrient absorption, preventing cell death
Unlike conventional robotics that rely on motors or hydraulics, this hand operates in a liquid culture solution that nourishes the muscles.
When stimulated electrically, the muscles contract, pulling fine wires that bend the fingers.
However, much like human muscles, fatigue sets in after about 10 minutes of use, with an hour required for recovery.
While the hand is not yet capable of gripping heavy objects, the research lays the groundwork for future applications, particularly in prosthetics and biomedical research
According to Takeuchi, biohybrid robotics is still in its early stages, but advances like this could eventually lead to prosthetic limbs that more closely mimic natural movement.
"A major goal of biohybrid robotics is to mimic biological systems. Our development (of the actuator) is an important milestone for achieving this," Takeuchi said, adding that the field of biohybrid robotics is still in its infancy, with many foundational challenges to overcome.
"Once these basic hurdles are addressed, this technology could be used in advanced prosthetics and could also serve as a tool for understanding how muscle tissues function in biological systems, to test surgical procedures or drugs targeting muscle tissues,” he added.
