Clone Robotics CEO Dhanush Radhakrishnan discussed the company’s mission to build lifelike android robots using synthetic muscles in a recent podcast.

Founded in 2021, the California-based startup focuses on creating full-scale humanoid robots capable of natural, human-like movements, leveraging deep learning and fluidic “muscle” technology.

Their robots use pressurized tubes to mimic human skeletal muscles, powered by a compact hydraulic system, allowing versatile motion without the rigidity of traditional motor-driven designs, Interesting Engineering has reported.

Clone’s first major achievement was developing a human-like robotic hand, and the team has since built a full-body prototype, aiming to enable robots to perform everyday human tasks in real-world environments.