Researchers from the University of Tokyo have successfully developed a smiling face made of living human skin that can be attached to a humanoid robot, giving it realistic facial expressions. This breakthrough was made possible through the use of cultured human skin cells to create living tissue in the laboratory.
The study, published in the journal Cell Reports Physical Science, describes how the skin is soft and can be repaired like real skin. By reconstructing the ligaments that bind skin in humans using collagen and elastane ropes, the researchers were able to attach the artificial skin to the robot. The new product is more elastic and prevents the skin from breaking while the robot moves.
Lead researcher Professor Shoji Takeuchi explained that imitating the structures of human skin and ligaments and using V-shaped perforations in solid materials allowed them to bond the skin to complex structures, allowing the skin to move with the robot without tearing. Although years of testing will be needed before the technology becomes commercially available, this innovative development has potential applications in a wide range of fields such as cosmetics, plastic surgery, and even medical prosthetics.
Overall, this development in robotics and bioengineering has enormous potential to revolutionize how robots interact with humans and could lead to advances in fields as diverse as cosmetics and plastic surgery.