Electronic skin may confer sensitivity dentures and robotannale Solovyov | 09.10.2020
Scientists RMIT University (RMIT) published the results of his research on the creation of artificial electronic skin. It is able to respond to cold, pressure
and pain, like live skin. Development, according to scientists, opens up entirely new perspectives in such areas as prosthetics, alternative transplantation and robotics.
The results of the work presented in Advanced Science News. As the scientists write, in
this stage, while we developed a prototype of “electronic skin.” She has the ability to feedback, the brain sends nerve signals and responds to sensations.
As commented by the Professor and senior researcher at RMIT Bhaskaran Madhu (Madhu Bhaskaran), the development of new electronic devices are able to give technologies of Biomedicine and intellectual
robotics the momentum of development in a completely new direction.
“The skin is the largest and most sensitive organ of the human body. It is endowed with complex functionality. For example, if a person that’s sick, she starts to send to the brain
quick warning signals, he says. – We constantly feel, feel the skin. Painful reaction begins only at a certain point – for example, when a person touches something
too hot or too spicy. But until now, no device created in the framework of modern electronic technology and did not possess the ability to mimic human
the feeling of pain. We created the development of e – skin is able to give the body instant feedback as soon as the external stimuli (pressure, heat or cold) will reach the painful
for humans threshold. This is an important step forward in the future development of biomedical technology, complex feedback systems that are necessary to create a truly “smart” prostheses and
intelligent robotics.”
Three functional prototype developed by scientists from RMIT, represent ultra-thin electronic sensors, one of which is sensitive to pain, the second perceives the change of temperature,
the third pressure. During the creation of the applied technology elastic and flexible (stretchable) electronics. For transparent, unbreakable and wearable electronics thick with sticker
used self-modifying coating, the thickness of which is 1000 times less than the thickness of a human hair. They are made by combining oxide materials with biocompatible silicon-based
material that transformirovalsya in response to heat. A prototype pressure sensor combined stretchable electronics and cell long-term memory, heat sensor technology of thermosetting
coatings and the memory, and the pain sensor has combined all three technologies.
Each of the prototypes for the start of the reaction at the time when the pressure, heat or pain has reached the set threshold, the responsible memory cells.
“We have created, in essence, electronic somatosensory – replicates key features of a complex system of neurons, neural pathways and receptors in the body that control our perception of touch
incentives, – says doctor of medicine Ataur Rahman (Ataur Rahman). In that time, existing technologies use electrical signals to simulate various levels of pain created by us
the device can respond to the mechanical pressure, temperature and pain, and to give the correct electronic response. This means that our faux leather to know the difference, for example between
a light touch to pin prick or casual – this is a critical distinction that had never before been achieved by electronic means”.
Further stretchable artificial skin can also be used in the manufacture of non-invasive skin grafts, where the traditional approach is not viable or does not work, and integration
this technology in biomedical applications, hopes Madhu Bhaskaran.
To say that invented the full background and the skin is still premature, consider Russian experts. For example, the prototypes have a threshold, and may apply only
two kinds of signals, respectively: “painful” and “painful.” It is likely that at this stage of artificial electronic skin can be used in robotics – it’ll give robots the ability
to respond to the threat of external environment and try to avoid them.
For reviews of a number of other specialists, in the near future the electronic skin can be used as a transplant for patients who received serious burns, or for the production
high-tech prostheses new generation. With this skin people will be able not only rapidly to recover, and lead a normal life – people will be able to feel “pain” in the form of specific
signals, if suddenly will damaged the electronic skin of their dentures.
the future of medicine, Robotics
Journal: Journal IT-News, Subscription to magazines
