The muscles, known as actuators, are built on a framework of metal coils or plastic sheets, and each muscle costs around US$1 (RM4.10) to make.
Inspired by the folding technique of origami, US researchers said Monday they have crafted cheap, artificial muscles for robots that give them the power to lift up to 1,000 times their own weight.
The advance offers a leap forward in the field of soft robotics, which is fast replacing an older generation of robots that were jerky and rigid in their movements, researchers say.
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