Scientists from the University of Tokyo (Japan) have grown skin for the “face“ of a humanoid robot, says Cell.
The goal of the specialists was to create a skin analogue for the “face” of a humanoid robot to transmit facial expressions. The result of the work was an artificial skin based on living human cells.
Using collagen and elastin, engineers were able to mimic the ligaments of human skin - they created miniature connective tissues that held the material to a solid surface. “The natural flexibility of the skin and the strong bonding method mean it can move with the robot's mechanical components without tearing or peeling,“ said lead study author Shoji Takeuchi.
According to scientists, the resulting soft-skinned robot prototype can show emotions and even smile. In the future, Takeuchi said, the researchers intend to make the material denser and more like real skin by adding analogues of sweat and sebaceous glands, pores, blood vessels, fat and nerves.
The material says that artificial skin can be useful in robotics. It can also be used in the cosmetic industry and for training plastic surgeons.