The Technical University of Munich (TUM) Scientist, Germany are developing a synthetic (sensitive) skin for robots with a similar to as that of human skin. The synthetic skin will provide important tactile information to the robot and thus supplement its perception formed by camara eyes, infrared scanners and gripping hands. As with human skin, the way artificial skin is touched could, for example, lead to a spontaneous retreat (when the robot hits an object) or cause the machine to use its eyes for the first time to search for the source of contact. Such behaviour is expecially important for robotic helpers of people travelling in constantly changing environments.
The centrepiece of the new robotic shell is a five square cm hexagonal plate or circuit board. Each small circuit board ccontains four infrared sensors that detect anything closer than one cm. "This sensor can register pressure ranging form a firm pinch between your thumb and forefinger to twice the pressure exerted by an elephant standing on one foot.
