The University of Tokyo researchers recently unveiled their latest breakthrough, featuring a video showcasing a pink, stretchable material contorting into an eerie smile. Their study, published in Cell Reports Physical Science, details the creation of a “robot covered with living skin” using a specialized “skin-forming cell-laden gel”.
The team, led by Professor Shoji Takeuchi, envisions this biohybrid technology advancing the field of humanoid robotics towards androids that possess not only human-like appearances but also functional capabilities. They aim to explore applications ranging from understanding wrinkle formations and facial expressions to developing advanced transplant materials and cosmetics.
Unlike conventional humanoid robots clad in silicone rubber, which lacks self-healing abilities and perspiration, this innovation aims to replicate biological skin’s self-repair capabilities. Although the researchers have successfully integrated collagen into lab-grown skin to demonstrate repair on robotic appendages in earlier studies, applying similar techniques to their expressive robotic skin remains a future challenge.
Their approach involves gelatinizing skin-like tissue and securing it within the robot’s structures, mimicking the ligaments in human skin to achieve a “natural smile” that moves smoothly and realistically.
