Robotics breakthrough: Scientists make artificial skin

Advertisement
By Agence France Presse | Updated: 5 June 2012 02:24 IST
Highlights
  • Biotech wizards have engineered electronic skin that can sense touch, in a major step towards next-generation robotics and prosthetic limbs. The lab-tested material responds to almost the same pressures as human skin and with the same speed, they reported
Robotics breakthrough: Scientists make artificial skinBiotech wizards have engineered electronic skin that can sense touch, in a major step towards next-generation robotics and prosthetic limbs.

The lab-tested material responds to almost the same pressures as human skin and with the same speed, they reported in the British journal Nature Materials.

Important hurdles remain but the exploit is an advance towards replacing today's clumsy robots and artificial arms with smarter, touch-sensitive upgrades, they believe.

"Humans generally know how to hold a fragile egg without breaking it," said Ali Javey, an associate professor of computer sciences at the University of California at Berkeley, who led one of the research teams.

"If we ever wanted a robot that could unload the dishes, for instance, we'd want to make sure it doesn't break the wine glasses in the process. But we'd also want the robot to grip the stock pot without dropping it."

The "e-skin" made by Javey's team comprises a matrix of nanowires made of germanium and silicon rolled onto a sticky polyimide film.

The team then laid nano-scale transistors on top, followed by a flexible, pressure-sensitive rubber. The prototype, measuring 49 square centimetres (7.6 square inches), can detect pressure ranging from 0 to 15 kilopascals, comparable to the force used for such daily activities as typing on a keyboard or holding an object.

For the latest tech news and reviews, follow Gadgets 360 on X, Facebook, WhatsApp, Threads and Google News. For the latest videos on gadgets and tech, subscribe to our YouTube channel. If you want to know everything about top influencers, follow our in-house Who'sThat360 on Instagram and YouTube.

Advertisement

Related Stories

Popular Mobile Brands
  1. OnePlus Pad 3 With 12,140mAh Battery Launched in India: Check Features
  2. Our Fault OTT Release Date: When and Where to Watch Final Chapter of Culpables Online?
  3. OnePlus 13s Review
  4. OnePlus 13s Launched in India: Know Price, Specifications and More
  5. Realme GT 7 and GT 7T Review
  6. Bazooka OTT Release Reportedly Revealed Online: What You Need to Know
  7. OnePlus Pad 3 First Impressions
  8. Oppo Reno 14F 5G Listed on NBTC Site, Hints at Key Specifications
  9. Nothing Headphone 1 to Launch Alongside Nothing Phone 3 on July 1
  10. Xiaomi 16 Battery and Display Size Leaked Ahead of Debut in China
  1. Samsung Galaxy Z Flip FE Price, Storage Options Leaked Again; Here's How Much It Could Cost
  2. WWDC 2025: watchOS 26 to Reportedly Get Support for Third-Party Control Centre Widgets
  3. Snapchat Launches Apple Watch App With Scribble, Dictation Support; Lens Studio Now on iOS
  4. Hugging Face Releases SmolVLA Open Source AI Model For Robotics Workflows
  5. Redmi Pad 2 With 9,000mAh Battery, MediaTek Helio G100 Ultra Chip Launched: Price, Specifications
  6. Alphabet CEO Expects to Keep Hiring Engineers as AI Advances
  7. Amazon Said to Be Preparing to Test Humanoid Robots for Deliveries
  8. Google Doubles Gemini 2.5 Pro Rate Limit for Google AI Pro Subscribers
  9. Apple Said to Have Given iPhone Repair Business to Tata India as Partnership Expands
  10. Huawei Pura 80 Pro, Pura 80 Pro+ Design Teased; Pre-Reservation Begin
Gadgets 360 is available in
Download Our Apps
Available in Hindi
© Copyright Red Pixels Ventures Limited 2025. All rights reserved.