NUS Breakthrough: Perpetual Workout System Powers Record-Breaking Biohybrid Robot
Researchers at the National University of Singapore (NUS) have developed a groundbreaking platform that allows lab-grown muscle tissues to strengthen themselves without external stimulation.
This innovative system operates by mechanically connecting two muscle tissues, enabling them to continuously pull against each other, effectively acting as a perpetual workout.
Muscles developed using this method powered OstraBot, a robot designed for fish-like locomotion. OstraBot achieved a remarkable speed of 467 millimeters per minute, which is the fastest speed reported for any skeletal muscle-driven biohybrid robot to date.
Advancing Biohybrid Robotics
This significant development addresses a long-standing limitation in biohybrid robotics, a field that uses living cells instead of conventional motors. Stronger muscle-based actuators, which are inherently soft, quiet, and efficient at small scales, could lead to substantial advancements. These include the creation of minimally invasive biomedical tools, highly sensitive soft environmental sensors, and fully biodegradable robots that safely degrade after use.
Overcoming a Fundamental Bottleneck
Assistant Professor Tan Yu Jun from the Department of Mechanical Engineering at NUS, who spearheaded the research, emphasized the importance of their findings.
"While interest in muscle-powered robots has existed due to their inherent qualities, their performance was previously hindered by the low force output of cultured skeletal muscle."
He added that "the study's goal was to remove this fundamental bottleneck to enable high-performance biohybrid systems designed with sustainability in mind."
Publication and Recognition
The findings from this pivotal research were published in Nature Communications on March 18, 2026. Further cementing its impact, the paper's first author, Dr. Chen Pengyu, received the Best Poster Award for this study at the Materials Research Society (MRS) Fall Meeting 2025.