Optimized Design and Fabrication of Skeletal Muscle Actuators for Bio-Syncretic Robots

In recent years, bio-syncretic robots actuated by living materials have received widespread attention. Among the common living materials, engineered skeletal muscle tissue (eSKT) has been the focus of researchers due to its high contraction force and good controllability. However, the current performance of eSKT is far from that of natural skeletal muscle tissue. In this paper, an optimized design method for eSKTs has been proposed. By combining simulation analysis with experiments, the eSKTs with multiple strips have been developed. The results show that under a specific volume (250 μL), the optimized strip structures can enhance the stability of eSKT and facilitate the penetration of nutrients and oxygen, leading to improved fusion of myoblasts and the directional arrangement of myotubes, thus improving the performance of eSKT. The eSKT with multiple strips exhibits a significant contraction force and has been successfully utilized in a bio-syncretic robot to demonstrate its actuation capability. This work may provide insights into the development of the field of bio-syncretic robots and even tissue engineering.