Living, biologically based skin coatings could make robots look and behave more human and offer self-repairing durability compared with synthetic coverings. Natural skin ligaments inspired a method to anchor cultured dermal layers to hard surfaces by creating V-shaped tubular holes in the substrate that allow a poured collagen-and-fibroblast solution to run in and form hook-like underside extensions. A ligament-attached dermis supported growth of an epidermal layer on a 3D face model. Strategically hooked synthetic skin remained intact, pliable, and moved with rising cheeks when a model mouth formed a smile. Cultured muscles beneath the skin could further enhance lifelike expressions.
A robot coated with living skin would look more human and, perhaps, relatable. Moreover, skin's biological properties - especially its ability to self-repair - could make such coatings more durable than synthetic ones. One important challenge, however, is to find a way to robustly attach skin to a robot's surface. A team at the University of Tokyo has devised a potential solution inspired by natural skin ligaments.
To mimic these, the researchers made V-shaped tubular holes in the material to be covered. The point of each V was deep inside the material and the two tips were open to the surface. A synthetic skin - a solution of collagen and fibroblasts - was poured over and ran into the tubes. The technique created hook-like extensions on the underside of the skin that attached it to the surface.
If humanoid robots are to function well as social companions, they should be able to generate human expressions, the authors argue. To that end, Kawai and colleagues coated a model of a face with a ligament-attached dermis and grew an epidermal layer on top of this complex 3D shape. They showed that by strategically hooking their synthetic skin to a model of a mouth, the skin could remain intact and pliable, and moved with the model's rising cheeks as the mouth formed a smile.
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