Daijiworld Media Network - London

London, Jul 11: In a groundbreaking development, researchers have unveiled a new low-cost, gelatin-based "electronic skin" that could give robots and prosthetics a more human-like sense of touch. The innovation, developed by scientists and published in Science Robotics, is flexible, durable, and capable of detecting pressure, temperature, and even sharp damage — all with a single layer of material.

Unlike traditional robotic skins that require multiple complex sensors, this novel skin uses a single multi-modal sensor system. The gel-based material contains a uniform conductive layer that changes its electrical pathways in response to different stimuli such as pokes, burns, or cuts. This enables the material to simplify hardware requirements while still delivering detailed tactile feedback.

In testing, researchers molded the skin into a human hand shape and equipped it with electrodes. It was then subjected to a series of rigorous trials, including pokes from robotic arms, burns from heat guns, and cuts from scalpels. Despite the harsh treatment, the skin produced over 1.7 million data points via 860,000 micro-conductive channels, which were analyzed using machine learning to accurately distinguish between different types of touch.

“This skin isn’t as sensitive as human skin yet, but it may be the best alternative developed so far,” said Dr Thomas George Thuruthel of University College London (UCL), a co-author of the study. He highlighted the skin’s flexibility, durability, and affordability as major advantages.

The team envisions the skin being used on humanoid robots and advanced prosthetic limbs, paving the way for machines that can interact with their surroundings more naturally and sensitively.