Scientists have developed "solar-powered" prosthetic skin as they seek to mimic the properties of real skin, it was announced today.
The Glasgow University engineers have successfully integrated photovoltaic cells into electronic skin made from graphene, it was announced.
The developers say this could help power other proposed functions of their artificial skin – such as a sense of touch and pressure.
They are developing the skin as a covering for prosthetic limbs.
They have published their work in a journal called Advanced Functional Materials.
Developer Dr Ravinder Dahiya said: “Human skin is an incredibly complex system capable of detecting pressure, temperature and texture through an array of neural sensors which carry signals from the skin to the brain.
“My colleagues and I have already made significant steps in creating prosthetic prototypes which integrate synthetic skin and are capable of making very sensitive pressure measurements. Those measurements mean the prosthetic hand is capable of performing challenging tasks like properly gripping soft materials, which other prosthetics can struggle with. We are also using innovative 3D printing strategies to build more affordable sensitive prosthetic limbs, including the formation of a very active student club called ‘Helping Hands’.
“Skin capable of touch sensitivity also opens the possibility of creating robots capable of making better decisions about human safety."
He added: “The other next step for us is to further develop the power-generation technology which underpins this research and use it to power the motors which drive the prosthetic hand itself.
"This could allow the creation of an entirely energy-autonomous prosthetic limb."
Energy Autonomous Flexible and Transparent Tactile Skin Advanced Functional Materials 23 March 2017
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