Chinese scientist develops 'electronic skin' that connects humans and robots

With enhanced haptic feedback, the 'e-skin' allows the wearer to control the robot remotely and become 'empathetic' with one another.

Researchers in China have developed a wireless skin patch that allows the exchange of tactile stimuli between humans and robots.

The new electronic skin is lighter and easier to handle.

Crafted by a team of experts at the University of Hong Kong, Dalian University of Technology, Tsinghua University, and the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, the device is sensitive enough to capture all the elements of human life. movements, such as twisting or turning.

While there is already technology that allows humans to operate the robot remotely, what makes the 'e-skin' patch stand out is the fact that it's more compact, easier to handle, and provides feedback more sensitive than previous products.

In a paper published in the journal Science Advances, the Chinese team explains in more detail the technical features that make it possible.

The 'electronic skin' pad is placed right over the operator's joint. Sensors will react when the patch is bent, then send a corresponding signal to the robot via Bluetooth or the Internet. The sensors are made of a transformer material and the resistance changes when subjected to mechanical stress, thus allowing the operator's movements to be reproduced.

The system allows for two-way feedback, as the same sensors are also attached to the robot's components. Signals are sent to the 'electronic skin' layer, where they trigger small magnets to vibrate at different frequencies in proportion to the applied pressure. The researchers claim the device is so sensitive that the operator can distinguish between the softer and harder rubber pads the robot is holding.

With the use of Bluetooth, the response signals are delivered in 4 millionths of a second. The number will increase many times when operating over a Wi-Fi network. However, regardless of how the data was transmitted, latency remained below the 550 milliseconds needed by the average person to respond to tactile stimuli.

The device's battery allows it to work continuously for more than an hour. And in standby mode, the battery can last up to two weeks.