Hardly scary: method developed to attach living skin to robots
Researchers at the University of Tokyo have flexibly attached living skin to robots. The aim is to give them a sense of touch and other biological functions.
Fans of Doctor Who will probably be reminded of Cassandra O'Brien.Delta 17 when they see this picture.
(Image: Shoji Takeuchi et al.)
Until now, robots covered in living skin have only been seen in films such as Terminator. But now a team of researchers led by Prof. Shoji Takeuchi from the University of Tokyo has developed a method for attaching "skin equivalents" to robotic surfaces. This method, which the researchers have dubbed the "perforation anchor technique", mimics the structure of human skin bands and thus makes it possible to attach living skin to robots. The team's work has been published open access in the journal "Cell".
The integration of living skin on humanoid robots is not only of interest for aesthetic reasons, but also because of the biological functions that living skin can provide. These include self-healing, a sense of touch and temperature regulation. These properties could significantly improve humanoid robots in various applications, from care to industry. However, previous methods of attaching skin tissue to robots have had limitations in terms of stability and flexibility of attachment. Conventional approaches, such as shrinking the skin around an object or using protruding anchors, often had problems such as deformations or aesthetic impairments. "In this study, [however] we succeeded in replicating the human appearance to a certain extent by creating a face with the same surface material and structure as humans," says Prof. Shoji Takeuchi.
(Image: Shoji Takeuchi et al.)
Perforation anchor and plasma treatment
The technique developed by the team uses perforated anchors to securely attach the skin equivalents to the surface of a robot. These anchors are modeled after human skin ligaments, which attach the skin tissue to the underlying structures. A gel loaded with skin cells is applied through v-shaped holes in the robot surface, which penetrates the anchors and hardens there. This method enables an even and stable fixation that also withstands external influences.
The researchers see an important key to success in a water vapor plasma treatment, which increases the hydrophilicity of the anchor surface and thus improves the penetration of the collagen gel. This treatment reduces the contact angle of the gel, which leads to better distribution and adhesion of the gel within the anchors. Tests have shown that the plasma treatment significantly improves the distribution of the collagen on the anchor surface and thus ensures more stable fixation.
3D facial model
The researchers demonstrated the versatility of the perforated anchors by covering a 3D face model and a 2D robot with living skin. In another experiment, a robotic face was covered with a layer of skin that could produce smiling facial expressions using mechanical actuators. These demonstrations show the potential of the technology for applications that need to fulfill both functional and aesthetic requirements.
According to the scientists, mechanical tests showed that the anchors have a high tensile strength and effectively prevent the skin equivalent from shrinking. Larger diameter anchors therefore offer greater strength, but at the expense of design flexibility. The tests showed that even anchors with a diameter of only 1 mm are able to significantly reduce the shrinkage of the skin tissue. Larger anchors provide stronger connections but limit design flexibility and therefore need to be placed carefully.
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Placement through finite element simulations
To simulate the effects of the number and placement of anchors, the researchers used finite element simulations. The simulations showed that the density and placement of the anchors affect the tensile strength and the allowable deformation of the skin equivalent. The work comes to the conclusion that there is no universally valid optimal anchor arrangement. Rather, the arrangement must be determined depending on the specific requirements of the area to be protected and its interaction with the environment. Areas with frequent external contact, such as hands and feet, should have a higher anchor density, while areas subject to frequent deformation require a lower anchor density.
Possible applications
The use of living skin on robots could open up new possibilities, particularly in areas such as humanoid robotics, prosthetics and cosmetic surgery. The ability to self-heal and adapt to different environments make living skin an ideal material for these applications. In the future, the mechanical properties of the "skin equivalents will be further improved and the integration of cultivated muscle tissue" will be researched to create even more realistic movements. In addition, detailed studies on wrinkle formation through the activity of facial muscles could provide valuable insights into cosmetic applications.
- "Perforation-type anchors inspired by skin ligament for robotic face covered with living skin" (PDF)
(vza)
