MIT engineers create artificial muscle that mimics real tissue | The Business Standard
Skip to main content
  • Latest
  • Economy
    • Banking
    • Stocks
    • Industry
    • Analysis
    • Bazaar
    • RMG
    • Corporates
    • Aviation
  • Videos
    • TBS Today
    • TBS Stories
    • TBS World
    • News of the day
    • TBS Programs
    • Podcast
    • Editor's Pick
  • World+Biz
  • Features
    • Panorama
    • The Big Picture
    • Pursuit
    • Habitat
    • Thoughts
    • Splash
    • Mode
    • Tech
    • Explorer
    • Brands
    • In Focus
    • Book Review
    • Earth
    • Food
    • Luxury
    • Wheels
  • Subscribe
    • Get the Paper
    • Epaper
    • GOVT. Ad
  • More
    • Sports
    • TBS Graduates
    • Bangladesh
    • Supplement
    • Infograph
    • Archive
    • Gallery
    • Long Read
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Magazine
    • Climate Change
    • Health
    • Cartoons
  • বাংলা
The Business Standard

Thursday
July 24, 2025

Sign In
Subscribe
  • Latest
  • Economy
    • Banking
    • Stocks
    • Industry
    • Analysis
    • Bazaar
    • RMG
    • Corporates
    • Aviation
  • Videos
    • TBS Today
    • TBS Stories
    • TBS World
    • News of the day
    • TBS Programs
    • Podcast
    • Editor's Pick
  • World+Biz
  • Features
    • Panorama
    • The Big Picture
    • Pursuit
    • Habitat
    • Thoughts
    • Splash
    • Mode
    • Tech
    • Explorer
    • Brands
    • In Focus
    • Book Review
    • Earth
    • Food
    • Luxury
    • Wheels
  • Subscribe
    • Get the Paper
    • Epaper
    • GOVT. Ad
  • More
    • Sports
    • TBS Graduates
    • Bangladesh
    • Supplement
    • Infograph
    • Archive
    • Gallery
    • Long Read
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Magazine
    • Climate Change
    • Health
    • Cartoons
  • বাংলা
THURSDAY, JULY 24, 2025
MIT engineers create artificial muscle that mimics real tissue

Science

TBS Report
13 April, 2025, 11:00 am
Last modified: 13 April, 2025, 03:15 pm

Related News

  • China pits humanoid robots against humans in half-marathon
  • Hundred-year storm tides will occur every few decades in Bangladesh: MIT study
  • First artwork by humanoid robot sells for $1.3m
  • China robots conference spotlights the changing face of humanoids
  • Amazon advances automation with over 750,000 robots, replacing 100,000 jobs

MIT engineers create artificial muscle that mimics real tissue

The breakthrough could lead to soft, wiggly robots

TBS Report
13 April, 2025, 11:00 am
Last modified: 13 April, 2025, 03:15 pm
MIT engineers grew an artificial, muscle-powered structure that pulls both concentrically and radially, much like how the iris in the human eye acts to dilate and constrict the pupil. Image: MIT
MIT engineers grew an artificial, muscle-powered structure that pulls both concentrically and radially, much like how the iris in the human eye acts to dilate and constrict the pupil. Image: MIT

MIT engineers have had a breakthrough in making robots more biologically compatible, something that scientists have been attempting for years.

Previously, lab grown muscle fibres could only contract on one plane, which functioned well for robotic arms that would bend at a single joint, but could not do more complex movements, says Techspot.

In contrast, the human body's muscles are far more versatile thanks to fibers arranged in intricate, crisscrossing patterns.

Now, MIT engineers have taken a major step toward developing robots that replace rigid gears with something much softer – almost like real, living muscle tissue. In other words, they have found a way to grow artificial muscle that can flex in multiple directions.

The Business Standard Google News Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel

To achieve this, they devised a new stamping technique that 3D prints tiny grooves into a soft gel. The actual process is complex, but to simplify: when muscle cells are seeded onto the gel, they grow along these grooved patterns. As a proof of concept, the researchers even fabricated an artificial iris using this method.

The iris is the ring of muscle that controls pupil dilation in the human eye. It consists of an inner set of concentric circular fibers and an outer layer of radiating fibers. The stamped gel replicated some of these patterns, resulting in a muscle-powered pupil that can dilate and contract, just like the real thing.

"We believe we've created the first skeletal muscle-powered robot that generates force in more than one direction," said Ritu Raman, a tissue engineer at MIT. "That was enabled by this new stamping approach."

Of course, there were challenges to overcome. For one, the gel is extremely delicate. Raman explained that it's much softer than Jello and difficult to cast because it tears easily. Overcoming this required trial and error, but the results were well worth it.

The stamping technique is highly versatile, allowing researchers to essentially "blueprint" any desired muscle architecture by simply programming the stamp's groove pattern. The stamps themselves can be produced using a standard tabletop 3D printer.

This flexibility opens up a vast range of possibilities, potentially enabling researchers to replicate everything from the swirling contractions of heart muscles to the coiled movements of the digestive tract.

Looking ahead, the team plans to experiment with different layouts and cell types beyond just skeletal muscle. Once robotic engineers begin integrating these programmable bio-tissues into designs, a new era of machines may emerge.

Raman envisioned one interesting use case.

"Instead of using rigid actuators that are typical in underwater robots, if we can use soft biological robots, we can navigate and be much more energy-efficient, while also being completely biodegradable and sustainable," she said. "That's what we hope to build toward."

Top News

MIT / robot

Comments

While most comments will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive, moderation decisions are subjective. Published comments are readers’ own views and The Business Standard does not endorse any of the readers’ comments.

Top Stories

  • Hasina and Taposh in an event in 2020. Photo: Collected
    Al Jazeera investigation: Hasina, in call with Taposh, talks using helicopter to shoot, crush protesters in July uprising
  • Former Chief Justice ABM Khairul Haque being produced before the Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court  on 24 July 2025. Photo: TBS
    Ex-CJ Khairul sent to jail over July Uprising murder case
  • Representational image. Photo: Collected
    Tariff talks: Bangladesh, US set for crucial virtual meeting on 29 July

MOST VIEWED

  • Photo: Collected
    Bangladeshi man jailed for life in UK for murdering wife in front of their baby
  • Ctg port authority halts contractor recruitment for Kamalapur ICD operations for two months
    Ctg port authority halts contractor recruitment for Kamalapur ICD operations for two months
  • Fire at Cosmo School in Mirpur on 23 July 2025. Photo: TBS
    Fire breaks out at Cosmo School in Mirpur following generator explosion
  • Representational image. File Photo: Rajib Dhar/TBS
    Debate arises as edu adviser says postponed HSC exams of 22 and 24 July will be held on same day
  • BB issues dress code for all, discourages short-sleeved or length dresses, leggings for female staff
    BB issues dress code for all, discourages short-sleeved or length dresses, leggings for female staff
  • Infographics: TBS
    Stay orders won’t shield defaulters: BB governor 

Related News

  • China pits humanoid robots against humans in half-marathon
  • Hundred-year storm tides will occur every few decades in Bangladesh: MIT study
  • First artwork by humanoid robot sells for $1.3m
  • China robots conference spotlights the changing face of humanoids
  • Amazon advances automation with over 750,000 robots, replacing 100,000 jobs

Features

Illustration: TBS

The future of medicine: How innovations will catalyse quantum leaps in healthcare

57m | The Big Picture
Photo: Collected

24 July: More than 1400 arrested, 3 missing coordinators found

22h | Panorama
Photo: Mehedi Hasan/TBS

Aggrieved nation left with questions as citizens rally to help at burn institute

2d | Panorama
Photo: Mehedi Hasan/TBS

Mourning turns into outrage as Milestone students seek truth and justice

2d | Panorama

More Videos from TBS

Europe in trouble due to China-US dispute: Fear of China's seizure of rare minerals

Europe in trouble due to China-US dispute: Fear of China's seizure of rare minerals

12m | Others
Settlement failure may trigger up to 50% tariffs

Settlement failure may trigger up to 50% tariffs

27m | TBS World
Abrar Fahad's family meets with the chief advisor

Abrar Fahad's family meets with the chief advisor

47m | TBS Today
'Golapjan', a victim of multifaceted sexual harassment in the workplace

'Golapjan', a victim of multifaceted sexual harassment in the workplace

1h | TBS Stories
EMAIL US
contact@tbsnews.net
FOLLOW US
WHATSAPP
+880 1847416158
The Business Standard
  • About Us
  • Contact us
  • Sitemap
  • Advertisement
  • Privacy Policy
  • Comment Policy
Copyright © 2025
The Business Standard All rights reserved
Technical Partner: RSI Lab

Contact Us

The Business Standard

Main Office -4/A, Eskaton Garden, Dhaka- 1000

Phone: +8801847 416158 - 59

Send Opinion articles to - oped.tbs@gmail.com

For advertisement- sales@tbsnews.net