Will we be able to make robots that look like humans in the future? If we look at today’s technology, this seems like it will take some time, but we are getting closer to this result gradually. Researchers have integrated “live” skin into a robotic arm for the first time.
Scientists from the University of Tokyo have produced leather that resembles human skin and, more importantly, is alive. In a study published in the journal Matter, a robotic finger covered with organic skin, with water-repellent and healing functions, was produced.
This development is a concrete example that humanoid robots, which we often see in movies, will enter our lives in the future.
Actual components of human skin
To obtain this tissue, the researchers used a combination of in vitro and living cells that produce collagen. This mixture they used was a method used in medicine to treat serious wounds and burns. Using this method, they obtained a structure very similar to human skin and integrated it into the robot.
The brand new skin created has self-healing properties as well as aesthetic and mechanical properties. After the researchers actually “injured” the robotic finger, they placed a collagen bandage: the bandage gradually melted into the skin, thus repairing it again. “After the collagen layer was applied to the wound area, the wound healed with dermal fibroblast activity.
First Image Source: unsplash
Read more here: matter
