Scientists at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore have created a flexible iontronic dual-responsive artificial skin (i-DAS) that can sense both applied pressure and the approach of an external object. Unlike previous artificial skins, i-DAS is capable of gathering information about the material and composition of the approaching object. This development opens up possibilities for intelligent interactions between biological entities or machines and organisms that require artificial skins capable of perceiving nuanced touch and proximity.

Figure .1 Artificial Skin Outperforms Natural Skin in Touch and Proximity Sensing

Figure 1 shows Scientists at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore have developed a flexible iontronic dual-responsive artificial skin (i-DAS) that can detect applied pressure and the approach of an external object. Unlike previous artificial skins, i-DAS is also able to gather information about the material and composition of the approaching object. This advancement holds promise for enabling intelligent interactions between biological entities or machines and organisms that rely on artificial skins capable of perceiving detailed touch and proximity cues.

Scientists at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore have developed an artificial skin with superior sensing capabilities compared to human skin. The flexible iontronic dual-responsive artificial skin (i-DAS) can not only detect touch and applied pressure but also gather rich cognitive information from touchless or approaching operations. This advancement has the potential to revolutionize robotic perception technologies and pave the way for next-generation tactile sensors that surpass the capabilities of existing systems.

In previous work, dual-responsive sensing relied on electrostatic induction, which had limitations in distinguishing between different stimuli. Capacitive pressure sensors emerged as a better option for touchless detection due to their ability to detect signals with opposite polarities. However, advancements in proximity perception or approach switches were limited. In the current study, researchers utilized the high-capacitive nature of electrical double layers (EDL) in a porous iontronic sponge to develop an improved artificial skin with enhanced sensing capabilities.

Iontronics is a technology that involves controlling ions as signal carriers in solid-state electronics and biological systems. In this study, researchers developed a dual-mode artificial skin based on iontronics, which can sense both applied pressure and the approach of an external object. The artificial skin mimics the principles of biological systems and offers biocompatible and biodegradable logic circuits for various applications. The researchers demonstrated the functionality of the artificial skin through human-machine interfaces, enabling interactions such as manipulating virtual game characters and navigating electronic maps.

The artificial skin was able to recognise distinct signals from several approaching targets, enabling touchless object recognition. The researchers showed that the iDAS can classify materials based on composition without touching them. Metals, polymers, and human skins could all be categorised with success by the iDAS. This work serves as a turning point for iontronic devices.[1]

References:

1. https://www.genengnews.com/news/artificial-skin-exceeds-natural-skin-in-sensing-touch-and-proximity/

Cite this article:

Janani R (2023),Artificial Skin Outperforms Natural Skin in Touch and Proximity Sensing, Anatechmaz, pp.284