Researchers at the University of BC and Honda have developed a smart and stretchable rubber that mimics human skin, providing humanoid robots with sensitivity and dexterity. The breakthrough has potential applications in industries such as Amazon fulfillment centers, where automation and dexterity are crucial.
Tesla is building them, Honda is building them, Vancouver’s Sanctuary AI is building them -- humanoid robots, that is.
Researchers at the University of BC, working with researchers at Honda, say they have made a breakthrough with the development of a “smart, stretchable and highly sensitive” type of rubber that is like human skin. Honda’s interest in the robot skin is two-fold: Honda not only uses industrial robotics in its auto manufacturing plants, it also developed one of the first humanoid robots – Asimo – more than two decades ago.
“But unlike touchscreens, this sensor is supple and can detect forces into and along its surface. This unique combination is key to adoption of the technology for robots that are in contact with people.”First, the sensors are multiple mode, able to detect not just pressure, but horizontal movement as well, which gives them the ability to detect movement, like slipping.