Artificial skin with tactile feedback

It is said that a research team at the Federal University of Technology Lausanne, Switzerland is developing a tactile feedback artificial skin with elasticity. The artificial skin made of silicon and electrodes instantly adapts to the wearer’s movement through a sophisticated magnetic sensing mechanism. It is said that a flexible sensor and actuator have been developed that can be inserted into artificial skin.

Tactile feedback is said to be a maximum of 100 pulses per second, allowing real-time feel by pressure and vibration. A small balloon-like tactile feedback part has electrodes to measure skin deformation, and this data is transmitted to a microcomputer.

The research team is thinking of using this technology for not only virtual reality but also medical rehabilitation. Although tactile feedback is still possible only at the fingertips, there is a possibility that one day, a number of electrodes can be placed all over the finger to obtain detailed feedback. If this technology is applied to create something like a virtual reality clothing that covers the whole body, it may make the sense of touch in the virtual reality space feel more realistic. Related information can be found here .