© CellConceptual illustration and fabrication process of the “living skin on a robot” proposed in this paper; see also Figures S1 and S10
(A) Conceptual illustration of a biohybrid robotic hand with its finger covered with human skin equivalent.
(B) Design of the three-joint robotic finger to be covered with skin equivalent.
(C) Fabrication process of the skin equivalent used to cover the robotic finger. Scale bar, 10 mm.
From action heroes to villainous assassins, biohybrid robots made of both living and artificial materials have been at the center of many sci-fi fantasies, inspiring today's robotic innovations. It's still a long way until human-like robots walk among us in our daily lives, but scientists from Japan are bringing us
one step closer by crafting living human skin on robots. The method developed, presented June 9 in the journal
Matter, not only gave a robotic finger skin-like texture, but also water-repellent and self-healing functions.
"The finger looks slightly 'sweaty' straight out of the culture medium," says first author Shoji Takeuchi, a professor at the University of Tokyo, Japan. "Since the finger is driven by an electric motor, it is also interesting to hear the clicking sounds of the motor in harmony with a finger that looks just like a real one."
Looking "real" like a human is one of the top priorities for humanoid robots that are often tasked to interact with humans in healthcare and service industries. A human-like appearance can improve communication efficiency and evoke likability. While current silicone skin made for robots can mimic human appearance, it falls short when it comes to delicate textures like wrinkles and lacks skin-specific functions. Attempts at fabricating living skin sheets to cover robots have also had limited success, since it's challenging to conform them to dynamic objects with uneven surfaces.
"With that method, you have to have the hands of a skilled artisan who can cut and tailor the skin sheets," says Takeuchi. "To efficiently cover surfaces with skin cells, we established a tissue molding method to directly mold skin tissue around the robot, which resulted in a seamless skin coverage on a robotic finger."
© CellGraphical Abstract
To craft the skin, the team first submerged the robotic finger in a cylinder filled with a solution of collagen and human dermal fibroblasts, the two main components that make up the skin's connective tissues. Takeuchi says the study's success lies within the natural shrinking tendency of this collagen and fibroblast mixture, which shrank and tightly conformed to the finger. Like paint primers, this layer provided a uniform foundation for the next coat of cells -- human epidermal keratinocytes -- to stick to. These cells make up 90% of the outermost layer of skin, giving the robot a skin-like texture and moisture-retaining barrier properties.
The crafted skin had enough strength and elasticity to bear the dynamic movements as the robotic finger curled and stretched. The outermost layer was thick enough to be lifted with tweezers and repelled water, which provides various advantages in performing specific tasks like handling electrostatically charged tiny polystyrene foam, a material often used in packaging. When wounded, the crafted skin could even self-heal like humans' with the help of a collagen bandage, which gradually morphed into the skin and withstood repeated joint movements.
"We are surprised by how well the skin tissue conforms to the robot's surface," says Takeuchi. "But this work is just the first step toward creating robots covered with living skin." The developed skin is much weaker than natural skin and can't survive long without constant nutrient supply and waste removal. Next, Takeuchi and his team plan to address those issues and incorporate more sophisticated functional structures within the skin, such as sensory neurons, hair follicles, nails, and sweat glands.
"I think living skin is the ultimate solution to give robots the look and touch of living creatures since it is exactly the same material that covers animal bodies," says Takeuchi.
This work was supported by funding from JSPS Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research (KAKENHI) and JSPS Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists (KAKENHI).
Reader Comments
“This is John Connor. If you're listening to this, you are the resistence.”
But I loves me some interwebs lol
If you're not familiar with it you can find the story of "why VHS beat BetaMax" online somewhere. (Short answer: porn.)
And it *does* seem like it would get boring... but the millions of sites on the web are an indication that, for many, it's preferable to the work required to obtain "the real thing."
I had an epiphany years ago with the advent of VR. Namely the type of "virus" that might become common. Imaging being in the "throes of ecstasy" inside your cozy, private VR sex-simulation when suddenly your mom & all your relatives (from your "Contacts") appear. (With that "church-lady" look on their faces...)
Note: I haven't written said virus... yet. ;>
I'd rather have sex with flesh and blood than a robot 8 days a week!
I can’t stand fake plastic surgery on a real human never mind a robot. Oh excuse me an android. Don’t want to piss off the woke bots.
~~~
Hey - have a 2-1-2 hug for the moment!
BK
These robots, we are speaking of here, they are Idols, Idols in our own image, that we are trying to make more human like. In essence, we are trying to play God, creating an image and giving it artificial life. At the other end of the spectrum, genetics, we are playing God as well. If ever there was a case for taking the lords name in vain (openly mocking God), these two pieces of the spectrum fit perfectly.
But alas, it's all divisive gobble dee gook, it's only purpose is to keep us distracted and in a trace to be controlled, at All Costs.