Pneumatic　artificial　muscles　(PAMs)　are　expected　to　play　an　important　role　in　endowing　the　advanced　robot　with　the　compliant　manipulation.　Though,　PAMs　can　produce　hundreds　or　even　thousands　of　newtons　of　output　force,　their　contraction　length　is　limited.　This　limits　the　radius　of　the　pulley　of　the　robot　joint　in　the　classic　PAMs　antagonistic　actuator　system,　which　results　in　the　limitation　of　the　output　torque　of　the　robot　joint.　In　this　article,　we　propose　a　cooperative　sequential　recruitment　driving　plan　and　control　algorithm　for　a　robotic　joint　multistagely　actuated　by　multiple　PAMs.　Physical　experiments　are　presented　to　validate　the　advantages　of　the　proposed　robot　joint　design　scheme　as　well　as　the　cooperative　control　algorithm:　It　can　not　only　generate　a　much　larger　driving　torque　for　the　joint,　but　also　realize　smooth　cooperative　transition　among　the　multiple　antagonistic　PAM　pairs,　consequently　it　can　achieve　the　human-like　motion　on　a　robotic　joint.　Therefore,　we　suggest　that　both　the　proposed　robot　joint　design　scheme　and　the　cooperative　control　algorithm　can　be　widely　applied　to　the　PAMs　actuated　robotic　system　for　better　human-robot　cooperation.　©　2023　IEEE.