拮抗筋構造を有するバイオハイブリッドロボットの構築

抄録

We propose a biohybrid robot with an antagonistic pair of skeletal muscle tissues. In the biohybrid robot, two skeletal muscle tissues are arranged in plane symmetry and their ends are connected to a joint via flexible ribbons working like tendons. Since bending of the flexible ribbons prevent the skeletal muscle tissues from deformation, the skeletal muscle tissues achieve linear actuations, inducing smooth rotation of the joint (rotation angle: ~90 degree), comparable to that of our finger. Due to controllability for contractions of skeletal muscle tissues, the biohybrid robot allow pick-and-place manipulation of a ring as an example of its operations. Therefore, we believe that the biohybrid robot will become a platform to replicate various lifelike movements.