Scientists at the University of Cambridge and University College London have developed a highly responsive synthetic skin for robots.
This innovation aims to enable robots to sense their environment more like humans.
The technology addresses the challenge of machines lacking the ability to "feel."
The synthetic skin is made from a single hydrogel material.
It can detect multiple stimuli, including touch, pressure, heat, and cold.
The hydrogel skin was cast into the shape of a hand and fitted onto a robot.
The skin contains 860,000 individual pathways to detect and differentiate contact types.
This allows the robot to better sense its environment and react to different forms of contact more accurately.
The technology could enhance robot performance in factories, hazardous environments, and disaster response.