A team from the University of Edinburgh said the skin can give robots a level of physical self-awareness similar to that of people and animals.
Soft robots – which are made of pliable materials rather than metal or hard plastic – with e-skin could have a range of applications, including surgical tools, prosthetics and devices to explore hazardous environments.
Unlike traditional rigid robots, soft robots are highly flexible which poses a major challenge to developing sensing systems that are essential for robots to carry out precise tasks and interact safely with people and the environment.
Image credit: Yunjie Yang
The researchers said that without e-skin, it is hard for soft robots to understand their own motion and shape, and how these qualities interact with their environment.
The flexible...