Able to detect and react to pain stimuli, this artificial skin could be a game changer for prosthetics and robotics.
Just like real skin, the artificial version is designed to react when pressure, heat or cold surpass a pain threshold.
In much the same way, when one of the sensors in the artificial skin detects a pain stimulus, it sends an electrical signal to the brain-mimicking parts of the structure, Bhaskaran says.
She explains that although we sense stimuli constantly, we only react when the stimulus exceeds a threshold, “like touching something very hot. ” The brain and the skin compare stimuli and identify which are dangerous, she says.
The artificial skin could help to create smart prosthetics covered with a functional skin that reacts to pain like human limbs, allowing the wearer to know if they’re touching something that could cause damage.
The artificial skin also has the potential to be used for skin grafts, says Bhaskaran.
