Inventing an electronic skin with the ability to restore itself like a Terminator

In order to achieve the goal of making electronic devices more environmentally friendly, researchers have created a type that can be fully recycled. And yet, this type of e-skin also has the ability to recover itself if it is torn into pieces.

According to research published in Science Advances newspaper, this device is basically a thin film of integrated sensor capable of measuring pressure, temperature and humidity.

This e-skin type is also capable of self-healing if it is torn into pieces.

This film is made of 3 common materials combined together and adding silver nanoparticles: when this e-skin is cut in half, pouring the other compound into the "wound " will allow it to reconnect itself by Recreate chemical bonds between two pieces. Thanks to that, the structure is restored and this electronic skin will be as good as new.

If it is so damaged that it cannot be repaired, just dip it into the solution so it completely melts, then use the other liquid to make the new skin. In the future, this type of e-skin can be used in the manufacturing industry of prostheses, robots .

VR virtual reality game controller set.

There are many labs in the world that are developing electronic skin. One type created by European scientists can move metal objects without touching them, using magnets.

One type in Japan can turn the T-shirt you are wearing into a video game control tool. But this kind of e-skin is more special, because it can be recycled. This is a huge plus because every year, the United States alone releases 16 billion tons of e-waste. Motherboards, transistors or hard drives contain toxic chemicals and need to be handled carefully.

Motherboards, transistors or hard drives contain toxic chemicals and need to be handled carefully.

"This device will not produce hazardous waste," said the co-author of the study - Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Colorado Boulder University - Jianliang Xiao said. "We are faced with daily environmental pollution. Environmental protection not only has a big impact on us but also our children. That's why we want to make a skin. environmentally friendly electronics ".

More specifically, in cases where it is impossible to recover, or if the employer no longer needs to use it, it can be reused thanks to "recycling solution".

This solution is capable of breaking the structure of the compound and dividing it into small molecules, allowing the silver nanoparticles to be separated. It is then possible to use these substances to make a new sheet of skin.

This skin is soft but not as elastic as human skin.

The decay process will take about 30 minutes at 60 degrees C or 10 hours at room temperature. The healing process of this electronic skin is even more amazing: it takes only half an hour in room temperature and a few minutes at 60 degrees Celsius, "said Xiao.

But nothing is perfect. This skin is soft but not as elastic as human skin. Xiao revealed that he and his colleagues are working to make the device more flexible, from which the production process and its integration into artificial legs, hands and robots will be easier.