A Bio-Hybrid Robot Smiles with Living Skin
Researchers from the University of Tokyo have achieved a significant breakthrough in the field of robotics, bringing a smile to the face of a bio-hybrid robot with living, lab-grown skin. This development brings androids, humanoid robots, one step closer to reality.
The team has developed a technique to bind living tissue to an inorganic frame, replicating the human skin ligaments that connect skin to fasciae and bone. This allows the small, pink robotic face to move three-dimensionally, lifting its cheeks in an eerie smile.
"The completion of a binding structure that cannot be seen from the outside marks a big step forward in our quest to create robots that look just like humans," said Shoji Takeuchi, a machine engineering professor at the University of Tokyo.
The team previously developed a robotic finger with skin that could heal itself when injured. However, the robot's skin was connected to its mechanical frame by anchors that protruded from the skin, destroying the human-like illusion.
To achieve a more realistic effect, the team drilled V-shaped holes into the robot's surface and applied a solution containing dermal cells. The skin tissue then gelled and hardened in the holes, binding the robot body and the cultured skin together, mimicking human skin ligaments.
Moving these adhesive ligaments causes the corners of the robot's mouth to rise in a smile. The team aims to increase the variety of robot expressions by increasing the number of adhesive holes on its face. However, smaller holes pose a challenge as the solution struggles to seep in and bind properly.
This research, published in the academic journal Cell Reports Physical Science, marks a significant step towards creating androids with realistic, human-like skin and expressions.