A team of researchers from the University of Tokyo has developed a new technology that allows robots to have fleshy faces with living skin tissue, giving them the ability to smile naturally. This advancement in robotics technology aims to make robots more lifelike and human-friendly.
Professor Shoji Takeuchi, the leader of the research team, mentioned that their goal was to replicate human appearance by creating a face with similar surface material and structure to humans. This involved using engineered living skin tissue and human-like ligaments to achieve a more natural smile. The team identified new challenges during the process, such as the need for surface wrinkles and a thicker epidermis to make the robots look even more humanlike.
The method involves binding living skin tissue to a robotic skeleton using a layer of collagen gel containing cultured human dermal fibroblasts. This layer connects to tiny V-shaped perforations in the robot’s surface, allowing the skin to move with the underlying structure without tearing or peeling. The facial expressions, including smiling and other movements, are controlled by actuators.
The Biohybrid Systems Laboratory at the University of Tokyo has previously worked on engineering skin that can heal and creating small robots with biological muscle tissue. The development of living skin tissue for robots has opened up possibilities for self-healing capabilities in robots, similar to how human skin repairs minor lacerations. The team envisions adding more features to the robots in the future, such as sensors, pores, sweat glands, and fat, to make them even more realistic and functional.
The researchers emphasized the importance of robots having the ability to heal and self-repair, as even minor damages could lead to serious impairments. By incorporating more advanced actuators and potentially cultured muscle tissue, the robots of the future could move in fluid, humanlike ways. This technology could also provide insights into how human wrinkles are formed and how robots can mimic natural movements more effectively.
While the current robot with living skin cannot feel its face, future projects could explore adding sensory capabilities and other human-like features to enhance the robot’s interactions with its environment. The team’s innovative approach to robotics technology opens up new possibilities for creating more lifelike and interactive robots that could have various applications in the future.
