Researcher creates artificial skin that mimics human skin

Washington : Taking touch technologies to the next level, researchers have now developed a multi-layer, silicone membrane capable of mimicking the layers present in human skin.
The Skin-On interface, developed by researchers at the University of Bristol in partnership with Telecomm ParisTech and Sorbonne University, mimics human skin in appearance but also in sensing resolution.
The researchers adopted a bio-driven approach to developing a urface textured layer, an electrode layer of conductive threads and a hypodermis layer. Not only is the interface more natural than a rigid casing, but it can also detect a plethora of gestures made by the end-users.
multi-layer, silicone membrane that mimics the layers present in human skin.
This is made up of a sAs a result, the artificial skin allows devices to ‘feel’ the user’s grasp — its pressure and location and can detect interactions such as tickling, caressing, even twisting and pinching.
“This is the first time we have the opportunity to add skin to our interactive devices. The idea is perhaps a bit surprising, but the skin is an interface we are highly familiar with so why not use it and its richness with the devices we use every day?” said Dr Anne Roudaut, Associate Professor in Human-Computer Interaction at the University of Bristol, who supervised the research.