Clone Robotics unveil "Protoclone', a faceless android with lifelike movements that can "bleed to death" if stabbed

'Protoclone', a bipedal musculoskeletal android, showcases lifelike movements, leading to eerie reactions.

Clone Robotics, a Polish startup, has introduced Protoclone, a faceless musculoskeletal android with astonishingly lifelike movements.

The prototype, still in development, is designed to mimic the natural human gait using synthetic muscles beneath translucent skin. The six-foot robot has over 500 sensors and 1,000 artificial muscle fibers, making it capable of intricate movements, but it still faces skepticism from the public due to its unsettling appearance.

Protoclone, the world's first bipedal, musculoskeletal android. pic.twitter.com/oIV1yaMSyE

— Clone (@clonerobotics) February 19, 2025

A video shared by the company shows Protoclone twitching its limbs, hanging from the ceiling with a bowed head, while ominous music plays in the background.

While some viewers find the robot’s lifelike motions fascinating, others are disturbed by its faceless design, leading to comparisons with 'sleep paalysis demons'. One social media user humorously suggested, "Can you just draw a smiley face on the head, please?"

Can you just draw a smiley face on the head, please?

— Jan Boon (@kaetemi) February 19, 2025

This is my sleep paralysis demon

— Andrew McCarthy (@AJamesMcCarthy) February 19, 2025

Has any one read Shelley’s Frankenstein

— Andrea Laudate🇻🇦 (@AndreaLaudate) February 20, 2025

Hanging it was a good choice. Now leave it there and never let it loose. 😂

— Robby Starbuck (@robbystarbuck) February 19, 2025

While every normal person looks at dystopian sci-fi films as cautionary tales, nerds see them as instruction manuals.

— Mann Made Cinema (@Hotshot_Movie) February 19, 2025

The company has made bold claims about Protoclone's capabilities, highlighting its synthetic human features like fake bones, joints, tendons, and muscles. However, the prototype is not yet able to walk unaided like its competitors, such as Tesla's Optimus or Boston Dynamics' Atlas.

Despite this, Clone Robotics aims to develop robots capable of performing complex tasks like pouring drinks, doing laundry, and vacuuming floors.

The co-founder of Clone Robotics mentioned on X that "you can stab it with a fork and it will bleed out," a statement that further fueled public intrigue and concern.

You can stab it with a fork and it will bleed out

— Necromancer (@dhanushisrad) February 20, 2025

The company, founded in Wrocław in 2021, aims to push the boundaries of human-level androids to revolutionize daily life, though the release date for Protoclone remains unknown.