Faces made of living skin make robots smile

Japanese scientists have developed a method to attach living skin to robot faces, enabling them to smile and exhibit other facial expressions. The team at Tokyo University achieved this breakthrough by replicating tissue structures found in humans. Although the prototype face may resemble a gummy candy more than a human, it represents a significant advancement towards creating realistic, moving humanoids with self-healing skin that is resistant to tearing. This innovative method can be applied to complex, curved, and even moving surfaces. The artificial skin is produced in a laboratory using living cells, making it soft like real skin and capable of repairing itself if damaged.

Previous attempts to attach the skin to robots proved challenging. The team initially tried using small hooks as anchors, but these damaged the skin when the robot moved. In humans, skin is connected to underlying structures by ligaments, which are tiny ropes made of flexible collagen and elastin. To replicate this, the researchers drilled numerous small holes into the robot and applied a gel containing collagen. They then placed the artificial skin on top. The gel fills the holes and secures the skin to the robot.

Lead researcher Prof Shoji Takeuchi explained that by mimicking human skin-ligament structures and using specially designed V-shaped perforations in solid materials, they discovered a way to bind skin to complex structures. This method allows the skin to move with the robot's mechanical components without tearing or peeling away. The latest findings have been published in a scientific journal. The researchers caution that it will take many more years of testing before this technology becomes commonplace.

Prof Takeuchi also noted that another significant challenge is creating human-like expressions by integrating advanced actuators, or muscles, inside the robot. This research could also have applications in studying skin aging, cosmetics, and surgical procedures, including plastic surgery.