ROBOTS with self-healing skin are a step closer after a breakthrough in binding the engineered tissue to the machines.
It will offer increased sensing abilities, mobility and a more human appearance — like cinema’s Terminator.
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A Japanese team of scientists had already created robots that walk using biological muscle tissue and 3D-printed lab-grown meat, with fake skin that can repair itself when damaged.
But after engineering the skin, they sought to improve its capabilities — and grip.
Professor Shoji Takeuchi, of the University of Tokyo, said: “By mimicking human skin-ligament structures and using special V-shaped perforations in solid materials, we found a way to bind skin to complex structures.
“It means the skin can move with the mechanical components of the robot without tearing or peeling away.”
He believes the skin breakthrough could have benefits in drug development, surgical procedures and cosmetics.
Professor Takeuchi said the next step will be “incorporating sweat glands, sebaceous glands, pores, blood vessels, fat and nerves”.
He added:”Of course, movement is also a crucial factor, not just the material, so another important challenge is creating humanlike expressions by integrating sophisticated actuators, or muscles, inside the robot.
“Creating robots that can heal themselves, sense their environment more accurately and perform tasks with human-like dexterity is incredibly motivating.”