Creepy faceless ‘Clone Alpha’ robot with synthetic organs, artificial muscles and even veiny arms coming next year
AN EERIE humanoid robot that mirrors human anatomy with over 200 ‘bones’ and a synthetic breathing system has just reached a new milestone.
Pre-orders for the limited edition robot are set to go live in 2025, Clone Robotics, the Polish company behind the technology, has announced.
The robot, called Clone Alpha, is described as a “musculoskeletal android” – meaning it has synthetic organs, artificial muscles and ligaments instead of traditional robotics components.
Clone Robotics has just started production, and plans to manufacture just 279 units of the robot.
“The Clone’s muscular system animates the skeleton thanks to Clone’s revolutionary artificial muscle technology Myofiber,” Clone Robotics says on its website.
Movement of the joints and muscles is done through a battery-operated system of pumps and valves moving water around the body.
The water is stored in a container in the torso, which has human-like ribs and a spine.
A water filled robot is also softer, and more human-like, in comparison to its hardened rivals.
The company is yet to showcase Clone Alpha in action, with some onlookers unsure the humanoid is ready for market.
Although individual components of the robot show promise, how all these parts work together is yet to be seen.
While skepticism remains, Clone Robotics claims Alpha comes with 16 pre-installed skills, including the ability to memorise your home layout and kitchen inventory.
It can even come up with “witty dialogue”, according to the firm, as well as become your own personal butler and housekeeper.
Alpha can supposedly pour drinks, make sandwiches, vacuum, set the dining table, retrieve items for you, unload the dishwasher and even wash, dry and fold your clothes.
What’s more, is that customers can apparently teach the bot new skills through the company’s training platform called Telekinesis.
The company’s founders, Dhanush Radhakrishnan and Lucas Kozlik, believe the robot’s place doesn’t just have to be in the home – but also the workplace.
Robots that move like a human will be able to slot into roles more easily, without a company having to rebuild an assembly line to fit it.
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Humanoid robots - machines that resemble people - are expected to become more commonplace over the next decade...