Skin-On, a surprising artificial skin as sensitive as human skin

Skin-On, a surprising artificial skin as sensitive as human skin

Born from the imagination of British and French scientists and engineers, this skin is able to detect touch and pressure, and it could eventually equip everyday devices like the shell of a smartphone or touchpad. 'a computer.

The idea of ​​tickling his smartphone may seem absurd, but it could soon become reality. A group of researchers from the University of Bristol in England, as well as Telecom Paris and the Sorbonne University have unveiled Skin-On, a tactile interface that has the appearance of human skin. This artificial skin is able to detect touch, rotating pressure, multi-touch, stretching, stroking, tickling and twisting.

Researchers imagine using artificial skin to replace the shell of smartphones, smartwatch bracelets, or touchpad laptops. It could replace a turning knob by pinching it, a joystick by simply pressing with the finger, and it could even detect in which hand a user holds his smartphone to offer him a side menu accessible with the thumb.

Some concrete examples of the use of this artificial skin on everyday objects. © Marc Teyssier

New ways to interact with virtual objects

The skin is created by casting a layer of colored silicone on a mold to obtain the texture of the skin. The researchers then designed an electrode grid on top of it with a conductive stretch wire. They then finished with a silicone thickness to mimic the hypodermis, which fixes the electrodes in place and forms a soft layer under the skin that deforms under pressure.

Such an interface could more easily convey clues to the emotional state of the user, for example during a conversation: squeeze the device to indicate anger, tapping the back for fun, etc. It would also allow new interactions with applications, like caressing a virtual animal.