A research team led by Professor Takeji Shoji of the University of Tokyo published a paper on a robot with artificial skin through Cell Report Physical Science, a sister journal published by the renowned academic journal Cell on the 25th.
“Inspired by the human skin-laryngeal structure, we created a specially made V-shaped perforation on solid material and attached artificial skin to the robot,” said Takeuchi, who led the study. “The flexibility and strong adhesion of the artificial skin allow the skin to move with the robot’s mechanical parts without tearing or peeling.” The research team created the artificial skin by using living cells made from 3D printing technology and human skin cell culture. Artificial skin is as soft as real human skin and can regenerate itself even when injured.
A prototype of the robot that implanted skin has also been unveiled. It looks like pink jelly rather than a human face, but it looks like it is smiling as the skin tissue moves. There are dimples around the mouth. The research team expects that the technology will require more tests for several years to be applied to daily life, and that the latest study will help doctors conduct clinical trials in areas such as skin aging, plastic surgery and beauty care.
Professor Takeuchi said, “The remaining task is to integrate sophisticated muscles within the robot to create human-like expressions,” adding, “Realistic facial expressions improve robots’ ability to communicate and interact with humans more naturally and effectively,” emphasizing that this is especially important in the medical field where empathy and emotional connections can affect patient care.
After hearing the news, foreign netizens expressed their concern about the birth of humanoid robots that resemble humans, such as “I got goosebumps” and “Scientists should always think about ethical issues.” However, some netizens also responded positively, such as “I’m looking forward to technological advancement” and “It’s gross but surprising on the other hand.”
