South Korean researchers have unveiled a groundbreaking artificial muscle that can lift approximately 4,000 times its own weight, with potential applications in the next generation of humanoid robots.​

A defining innovation in the muscle’s design lies in its unique ability to switch between flexibility and tautness on demand—a first-of-its-kind advancement in this area of research. The team detailed their findings in a study published on September 7 in the journal Advanced Functional Materials.​

“This research addresses a fundamental limitation of conventional artificial muscles: they are typically either highly stretchable but weak, or strong yet rigid,” explained lead author Hoon Eui Jeong, a professor of mechanical engineering at the Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), in an official statement. “Our composite material achieves both properties, paving the way for more versatile soft robots, wearable technologies, and intuitive human-machine interfaces.”