 |
Robot Skin Soft Like Yours
If you hate being touched by your robot because of its cold metallic skin, take heart. Cosmetics manufacturer Kao Corporation and a Keio University research team led by robotics professor Takashi Maeno have developed artificial skin that feels just like yours. Or even softer.
The new artificial skin gives you that real human skin feeling by covering a 1-cm thick “dermis” of elastic silicone with a 0.2-mm thick “epidermis” of firm urethane. Countless tiny hexagonal indentations etched into the urethane epidermis provide it with a very realistic texture.
(Ultra-Lifelike Robot Repliee Q1 could benefit from new skin)
According to the developers, ten out of twelve people agree that it feels like regular human skin. Machines also confirmed that the characteristics of the artificial skin werre similar to the skin of organic, natural humans.
In terms of appearance and touchy-feeliness, this new artificial skin is clearly better than the pressure-sensitive skin previously reported, which uses organic field-effect transistors to fabricate pressure-sensitive skin for robots.
We can only hope that this new robot skin is as huggable as the artificial epidermis of the Huggable Robotic Companion Bear From MIT, which uses full-body sensate skin consisting of three different types of sensors - electric field, temperature and force - that cover the entire surface of the robot.
For medical applications, this new skin will make remote-teleoperated breast exam robots more usable (see Remote-Controlled Robotic Hand Performs Breast Exams).
Science marches on.
Found the original story at pink tentacle.
Scroll down for more stories in the same category. (Story submitted 9/20/2006)
Follow this kind of news @Technovelgy.| Email | RSS | Blog It | Stumble | del.icio.us | Digg | Reddit |
Would
you like to contribute a story tip?
It's easy:
Get the URL of the story, and the related sf author, and add
it here.
Comment/Join discussion ( 0 )
Related News Stories - (" Robotics ")
WIND Wearable Robot Controller
Robot wirelessly sense, robot do. Kind of like a full-torso waldo.
IMPASS Robot 'Smart Wheel' Video
They're making great progress with Neal Stephenson's 'smart wheels' - take a look at the video.
Predator, Prey Robots Evolve
Just how much help should human beings give to robots as they evolve toward greater functionality?
PALRO Companion Robot
Who's your favorite companion robot? Little PALRO might fit the bill.
Technovelgy (that's tech-novel-gee!) is devoted to the creative science inventions and ideas of sf authors. Look for the Invention Category that interests you, the Glossary, the Invention Timeline, or see what's New.
Current News
Put MercuryHouseOne Anywhere
Perhaps looking out through the spray of Victoria Falls.
Computational Wood: Grow Circuits In Living Trees
Just tap into the information tree.
SIRI Virtual Assistant Like Pohl's Joymaker
Man Forrester! Your joymaker is ready.
Liquid Glass Universal Spray-On Protectant
Also used to protect galactic way stations.
WIND Wearable Robot Controller
Robot wirelessly sense, robot do.
Gesture Cube Touch-Free Input
Just think of the gestures you'll use!
IMPASS Robot 'Smart Wheel' Video
I love it when good robot research comes together.
Predator, Prey Robots Evolve
Humanity must make a choice about robot evolution.
Mind-Control Lights At Vancouver Olympics
Bringing The Game to the Olympic Games.
PALRO Companion Robot
Who's your favorite companion robot?
Wasabi Smoke Alarm Now Available
It's an odalarm!
Spyder Olympic GS Suit With d3o
An impact suit made with a shear thickening material.
First Transistor That Mimics Brain Synapse
The Nexus Six phone will need a Nexus-6 brain.
Legged Squad Support System Monster BigDog Robot
A robotic pack mule for soldiers.
Implantable Energy-Harvesting Rubber Sheets
Take a deep breath, and power up that cell phone!
Bose Ride System Smooths Your Ride
Ride the spaceways - uh, roads - in comfort.
