The Creation and Applications of 'Smart Skin': Touching the Future with Artificial Skin Technology | TED Talks

Unveiling a fascinating scientific invention on this podcast, material scientist Anna Maria Coclite reveals the creation of ‘smart skin’ — artificial skin that emulates human skin by responding to touch, temperature, and humidity.

Not only restricted to humanoid applications, this innovative technology holds potential for vast applications, including aiding burn victims and enhancing smart devices.

The Innovation of ‘Smart Skin’

Developed by material scientist Anna Maria Coclite, the ‘smart skin’ is an artificial skin technology that responds to touch, temperature, and humidity akin to human skin.

Remarkably, it manages to surpass human skin’s sensitivity with a higher resolution.

Material and Functionality of the Smart Skin

Constructed using a stimuli-responsive material, the smart skin shape adjusts in response to changes in humidity, light, pH, or temperature.

Coupled with a piezoelectric material that induces electricity upon movement, the artificial skin’s thickness can double or triple upon stimuli exposure.

After this, we have for the first time produced an artificial skin that can respond at the same time to three stimuli. Touch, so force, temperature and humidity. And it can do this also at an unprecedented resolution. – Anna Maria Coclite