With enhanced tactile feedback, the “electronic skin” allows users to remotely control robots and develop a sense of “empathy” with them.
Researchers in China have developed a wireless skin patch that enables the exchange of tactile stimuli between humans and robots.
The new electronic skin is lightweight and easier to handle. (Illustrative image – Getty Images).
Created by a team of experts from the University of Hong Kong, Dalian University of Technology, Tsinghua University, and the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, this device is sensitive enough to capture all aspects of movement, such as twisting or turning.
Although technology already exists that allows humans to operate robots remotely, what makes the “electronic skin” stand out is the fact that it is lighter, easier to handle, and provides more responsive feedback compared to previous products.
In a paper published in the journal Science Advances, the Chinese research team explained the technical features that contribute to this.
The “electronic skin” is placed directly on the joints of the operator. The sensors react when the patch bends, subsequently sending corresponding signals to the robot via Bluetooth or the Internet. The sensors are made from piezoelectric materials and resistors that change when subjected to mechanical stress, allowing the replication of the operator’s movements.
This system enables bidirectional feedback, as similar sensors are also attached to the robot’s components. Signals are sent to the “electronic skin,” where they activate small vibrating magnets at different frequencies corresponding to the applied pressure. Researchers assert that this device is so sensitive that the operator can distinguish between softer and harder rubber pieces that the robot is holding.
Using Bluetooth, feedback signals are transmitted in 4 millionths of a second. This number increases significantly when operating over a Wi-Fi network. However, regardless of how the data is transmitted, the latency remains under 550 millionths of a second, which is the average time it takes for a person to respond to tactile stimuli.
The device’s battery allows it to operate continuously for over an hour. In standby mode, the battery can last up to two weeks.
