Scientists in Japan have given a robot a new face using a specially engineered collagen gel that resembles human skin tissue
These robots have been redesigned from real skin tissue
Technology is not just limited to the academic and professional fields, it has entered the beauty sector as well. And, the latest invention will blow your mind. According to a press release from the University of Tokyo, a group of Japanese scientists gave robots a human-like appearance. How? By attaching living skin to their faces, resulting in quite realistic smiles and facial expressions. How cool is that? The project members reconstructed the face by bonding engineered skin tissue to the face of a humanoid robot. The research is said to have benefits in skin aging, drug development, surgical procedures, training plastic surgeons, and impacting the cosmetics industry.
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Professor Shoji Takeuchi, who led the team of researchers, is an expert in biohybrid systems that combine biology and mechanical engineering. They have created mini robots that can move with the help of “biological muscle tissue, 3D printed lab-grown meat, engineered skin that can heal,” the press release stated. Mr. Takeuchi wanted to take the idea of robotic skin further to improve the abilities of humanoids.
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“By mimicking human skin-ligament structures and using specially created V-shaped holes in solids, we have found a way to attach skin to complex structures. The skin’s natural elasticity and strong method of adhesion means that the skin can move with the robot’s mechanical components without tearing or peeling,” the professor was quoted as saying in the press release.
So, how did the researchers figure out how to attach skin tissue to a solid surface? The trick was to use “a special collagen gel for adhesion, which is naturally sticky and therefore difficult to insert into tiny pores.” By incorporating plasma treatment, they were able to coax the collagen to remain close to the surface. “The biological skin repairs minor wounds just like our own, and nerves and other skin organs can be attached for use in sensing and other functions,” the report says.
In addition to achieving the feature of a "smiling robot", Mr. Takeuchi and his team "have also identified new challenges, such as the need for surface wrinkles and a thicker epidermis, to achieve a more human look. We believe that thicker and more realistic skin can be created by incorporating sweat glands, sebaceous glands, pores, blood vessels, fat and nerves."
The group led by Takeuchi is also keen on creating human-like expressions on robots, “by integrating sophisticated actuators or muscles.” Their motivation? “To create robots that can correct themselves, sense their environment more precisely, and perform tasks with human dexterity.”
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