image source, ©2024 TAKEUCHI ET AL. CC-BY-ND
- Author, Michelle Roberts
- Role, BBC News, Digital Health Editor
Japanese researchers have found a way to attach living skin to robot faces to get more realistic smiles and other facial expressions.
According to scientists from the University of Tokyo, the progress was made by copying the structures of human tissue.
The prototype released may look more like candy than a human being.
But the researchers say the breakthrough paves the way for creating realistic and convincing mobile humanoids self-healing skin that doesn’t rip or tear easily.
image source, ©2024 TAKEUCHI ET AL. CC-BY-ND
artificial leather It is produced in a laboratory using living cells.
Not only is it soft, like real skin, but it can also repair itself if it gets cut, the researchers say.
Previous attempts to attach skin to robots have proven difficult.
The team tried using minihooks, but they damaged the skin as the robot moved.
In humans, the skin is attached to underlying ligament structures: small cords of elastic collagen and elastin.
To recreate this, the researchers drilled numerous small holes into the robot and filled them with a collagen-containing gel. Then they put a layer of faux fur on top.
The gel covers the holes and holds the skin on the robot.
Plastic surgery
“By mimicking the structures of human skin and ligaments and using specially made V-shaped perforations in solid materials, we found a way to attach skin to complex structures,” said lead researcher Shoji Takeuchi.
“The natural flexibility of the skin and the strong adhesion method mean that the skin can move with the mechanical parts of the robot without tearing or peeling.”
Scientists warn about it many more years of testing will still be needed to make this technology an everyday reality.
“Another big challenge is to create human-like expressions by integrating sophisticated actuators or muscles into the robot,” Professor Takeuchi added.
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