MIT’s new artificial muscles for soft robots mimic real tissues for greater agility

MIT engineers have developed artificial muscle capable of moving in multiple directions, mimicking the iris of an eye. Using a new "stamping" technique, they created a muscle-powered structure that contracts both circularly and radially. This breakthrough allows for more complex motion in biohybrid robots, potentially enabling them to navigate tight spaces. The team demonstrated their concept by creating an artificial iris that responds to light stimulation, contracting in various directions like a real eye.