Alterable Robotic Skin Using Material Gene Expression Modulation

Robotic skins that integrate artificial tactile sensing elements can substantially complement the perception dimension of social robots, presenting an indispensable part in human-robot interaction (HRI). However, existing design frameworks compromise between versatility and sustainability due to the restricted range of characteristics available for a single constituent. Here an alterable robotic skin constructed from homogeneous sensing units are proposed, capable of cyclically realtering their inherent characteristics across a wide spectrum. Necessary characteristics to achieve positioning and pressure sensing subunits can be encoded in the feature motifs and extracted through condition-induced differentiation, showcasing a remarkable resemblance to the gene expression in the living system. By virtue of this, up to 100-fold differences in feature parameters are achieved, including modulus, surface state, and conductivity, to drive the target attribute coupling. The trans-temporal reconstruction of materials enables the superb customization of functional building blocks, advancing the flexible separation and combination of different touch modes, including location, pressure, duration, and motion pattern. As a proof of concept, the alterable robotic skin is demonstrated that integrates a position-sensing layer and a pressure-sensing layer. It can accurately distinguish and recognize multi-dimensional touch motions based on less-channel data, which showcases an efficient haptic interaction application.