Clone Robotics’ Synthetic Human Is as Fascinating as It Is Frightening
I came across a new kind of robot today. One I never could've predicted. In the span of seconds, it evoked disgust, fear, amazement, and wonder. My instinctual reaction: Why? Why would someone make this? What purpose does it serve? Will I be seeing this robot in my nightmares forever?
As you can see in the image above, the robot in question is a new kind of humanoid. An advanced humanoid, if you will—built by Clone Robotics, a Polish company developing robots one body part at a time.
"Lifelike" doesn't begin to describe it. The company has managed to replicate the appearance and movement of human muscle and tissue and applied it to this...thing. Credit where credit is due: it's impressive. And deeply unsettling.
Clone Robotics says its goal is to make "synthetic humans." So we've officially moved beyond robots.
Let's rewind to their earlier work with the company's synthetic robot hand. Made with carbon fiber bones, artificial ligaments, and 27 degrees of freedom (the same as a human hand), it took 8 years and 18 iterations to perfect. Soft materials and a hydraulic system allow the hand to grip and hold up to 15 pounds, and its muscles can survive 650,000 contraction cycles.
From there, Clone built a torso that includes a rigid spine, movable neck, two arms, two hands, and 124 muscles. The design not only mimics human anatomy but also enables complex upper-body movements. This is where Clone's approach gets technical and ambitious. Their robots use polymer materials instead of heavy metals, and their electro-hydraulic systems and algorithms provide precise, rapid control. The result: durable, lightweight, highly functional machines.
The Clone Hand and Clone Torso are being pitched for industrial automation, medical assistance, and service roles. But Clone isn't just building tools. They're building a new kind of human-machine hybrid that blends into the human world both visually and physically.
Clone Alpha is the company's full humanoid, and the name says it all. This isn't just mimicry. It's an attempt to replicate the mechanics of the human body, from tendons and ligaments to muscles and bones.
At its core is Myofiber, Clone's proprietary artificial muscle technology. Introduced in 2021, each Myofiber contracts faster than a human muscle, more than 30% unloaded contraction in under 50 milliseconds. Each one weighs just 3 grams but can produce over 1 kg of force. Designed as monolithic units, they're made to avoid jerky motion and reduce failure points.
No wires. No bulky joints. Just a soft, skeletal system with all 206 bones, flexible ligaments, connective tissue, and even a vascular system. A 500-watt "heart pump" circulates pressurized water through the body, powering 164 degrees of upper-body motion. The shoulders have 4 joints, each with 20 degrees of freedom. The spine has 6 degrees of motion per vertebra. The result is a machine that moves like a person.
It doesn't just look like us, but it moves like us, too. And that's probably the most disturbing part.
And of course, you can talk to it. Clone Alpha supports natural language interfaces powered by large language models. Want it to learn something new? Just show it a demo video. In some cases, it can learn and execute a new task within minutes.
We're not in the uncanny valley anymore—we've crossed into new terrain. A place where robots are soft-bodied and strong. Where a mechanical hand can grip a power drill or gently pass a wine glass. Where machines not only resemble us but also learn like us. And maybe someday, replace us.
Industrial automation? Medical care? Service jobs? Sure. But what Clone Robotics is doing feels more philosophical than practical. To me, it seems that they're exploring how far we can go in replicating ourselves—not just in form, but in function, and perhaps eventually, in cognition.
So yes, I was horrified when I saw this thing. But I would venture most of you had the same reaction. It’s one thing to watch sci-fi movies and another to see that fiction step out into the real world. And still, I can't stop looking.
Fun Innovations Friday
Created by the editors of New Equipment Digest and Plant Services, Fun Innovations Friday is a feel-good blog that showcases how advances in science, math, engineering, and technology are making our world more whimsical. Here’s another post that is guaranteed to brighten your day.
Infrared Contact Lenses Turn Eyes Into Night Vision Sensors—No Power Required
Developed by researchers at the University of Science and Technology of China, these infrared-enabled contact lenses convert heat into visible light, offering hands-free thermal vision for engineers, inspectors, and first responders, all without a power source.
