Japanese scientists have created a smiling face made from living human skin that can be attached to a humanoid robot. According to the BBC, it will equip robots with realistic smiles and other facial expressions. The living tissue used by the team from Tokyo University was a cultured mix of human skin cells grown in a lab, the outlet further said. Researchers further said that it paves the way to create a self-healing skin that will not easily rip or tear.
The results of the study have been published in the journal Cell Reports Physical Science.
The skin is soft, like real skin and can repair itself.
Researchers tried to recreate ligaments that tether the skin in humans, by using tiny ropes of flexible collagen and elastane.
They drilled little holes into the robot and applied a gel containing collagen, before attaching the layer of artificial skin on top. The new product is more elastic, preventing the skin from breaking as robot moved.
“By mimicking human skin-ligament structures and by using specially made V-shaped perforations in solid materials, we found a way to bind skin to complex structures,” lead researcher Prof Shoji Takeuchi told the BBC.
“The natural flexibility of the skin and the strong method of adhesion mean the skin can move with the mechanical components of the robot, without tearing or peeling away,” the researcher further said.
The team, however, said it would take many years of testing before it is used commercially. Researchers also said that the work may also be useful in research into skin ageing, cosmetics and surgical procedures, including plastic surgery.
