At Georgia Institute of Technology, researchers are developing new types of robotics that move away from the popular image of rigid, metallic machines. Instead, they are focusing on soft robotics designed to assist and support people.
“When people think of robots, they usually imagine something like The Terminator or RoboCop: big, rigid, and made of metal,” said Hong Yeo, the G.P. “Bud” Peterson and Valerie H. Peterson Professor in the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering. “But what we’re developing is the opposite. These artificial muscles are soft, flexible, and responsive — more like human tissue than machine.”
Yeo’s research, recently published in Materials Horizons, investigates artificial muscles made with lifelike materials integrated with intelligent control systems powered by artificial intelligence (AI). These systems learn from users’ bodies and adjust movements in real time for a more natural response.
Traditional robotic systems often rely on metals and motors but do not replicate human movement accurately. Yeo’s team uses layered fibers similar to muscle tissue that can sense motion and adapt over time. Machine learning algorithms are trained to adjust these fibers for optimal flexibility or force during different tasks.
“These muscles don’t only respond to commands,” Yeo explained. “They learn from experience. They can adapt and self-correct, which makes motion smoother and more natural.”
One application developed by Yeo’s lab is a prosthetic glove powered by these artificial muscles—a project detailed in ACS Nano in 2025—which mimics the behavior of a real hand rather than relying on preset mechanical motions. The glove includes stretchable fibers and sensors that work together to adjust grip strength and respond instantly to user intent.
“These aren’t just movements,” said Yeo. “They’re freedoms.”
The motivation behind this research is personal for Yeo; he was inspired to pursue biomedical engineering after losing his father suddenly while still in college.
“Initially, I was thinking about designing cars,” he said. “But after my father’s death, I kind of woke up. Maybe I could do something that helps save someone’s life.”
Building such lifelike prosthetics presents significant engineering challenges—they must be both strong and safe enough for use within the body without causing immune reactions.
“We always think about not only function, but adaptability,” Yeo said. “If it’s going to be part of someone’s body, it has to work with them, not against them.”
Yeo emphasized the need for collaboration across disciplines including mechanical engineering, materials science, medicine, and computer science: “You can’t solve this kind of problem in isolation,” he stated. “We need all of it — polymers, artificial intelligence, biomechanics — working together.”
Support from organizations such as the National Science Foundation (NSF), National Institutes of Health (NIH), and Georgia Tech’s Institute for Matter and Systems has been vital for this research effort. In 2023 Yeo received a $3 million NSF grant aimed at training future engineers focused on smart medical technology.
“If it feels foreign, people won’t use it,” concluded Yeo regarding future robotics technologies. “But if it feels like part of you, that’s when it can truly change lives.”
