Scientists at MIT have created a new kind of artificial muscle that can flex and move in multiple directions, much like real muscles in the human body.
This breakthrough could lead to soft, flexible robots that can squeeze through tight spaces—something traditional robots struggle with.
In recent years, researchers have tried to build robots powered by artificial muscles, inspired by how real muscles work.
However, most artificial muscles can only pull in one direction, making them less useful for complex movements.
Imagine if your muscles could only move in straight lines—you wouldn’t be able to blink, smile, or even move your fingers properly!
MIT engineers have now figured out a way to make artificial muscles that contract in multiple directions, just like natural muscles.
Their secret? A tiny stamp that helps guide muscle cells into the right shapes as they grow.
Here’s how it works:
- Designing the Stamp – The researchers 3D-printed a small stamp with microscopic grooves, each about the size of a single cell.
- Imprinting the Gel – They pressed the stamp into a soft gel, leaving tiny patterned grooves.
- Seeding with Muscle Cells – They placed real muscle cells into the grooves. The cells followed the patterns and grew into fibers in different directions.
- Activating the Muscle – When stimulated, the muscle flexed and twitched in multiple directions, just like real tissue.
To demonstrate their success, the team grew an artificial muscle similar to the iris in the human eye. In our eyes, muscles work in a circular pattern to open and close the pupil. The MIT researchers recreated this movement using skeletal muscle cells and light stimulation, proving that their approach works.
This breakthrough could lead to exciting advances in soft robotics and medicine. Some possible future applications include:
- Soft robots that can wiggle and squeeze into tight spaces – useful for rescue missions or exploring underwater environments.
- Biodegradable robots – made from living tissue, these robots could be more environmentally friendly than traditional machines.
- Medical applications – artificial muscle tissue could help people with neuromuscular injuries regain movement.
The best part? The stamping method is simple and can be done using regular 3D printers. This means other scientists can easily create different types of muscle tissue for new uses. The MIT team now plans to experiment with different patterns and cell types to see what else they can create.
“In nature, muscles don’t just move in one direction,” says MIT researcher Ritu Raman. “With this new method, we can design artificial muscles that mimic the complexity of real tissues.”
In the future, we may see robots that don’t just move stiffly like machines, but instead, wiggle, flex, and flow—just like living creatures!
