Who would put human skin on a robot? A team from the University of Tokyo has unveiled a robot face covered with living, self-healing skin, which can curl into a creepy smile. The robot’s skin was created with human skin cells, grown on a collagen model, and applied to a 3D-printed resin base. At the helm of this project and Biohybrid Systems Laboratory, is Shoji Takeuchi. Takeuchi is a pioneer in the bio-hybrid robotics field, which can be summed up as an unholy alliance between biology and mechanical engineering. As can be seen in the below images.
What Is Robot Skin Made Of? Human Skin.
The process involves first culturing dermal cells, followed by the addition of epidermal cells to complete the skin structure. Scientist published their findings in Cell Reports Physical Science. The skin can self-heal, much like human skin. Takeuchi explained that “integrating sensory functions like touch and temperature detection is more feasible with living tissue.”
It was during earlier research on a robotic finger that Takeuchi determined they needed a better adhesive to keep the lab-engineered skin from being damaged when the robot moves.
According to Takeuchi, they accomplished this “By mimicking human skin-ligament structures and by using specially made V-shaped perforations in solid materials, we found a way to bind skin to complex structures. The natural flexibility of the skin and the strong method of adhesion mean the skin can move with the mechanical components of the robot without tearing or peeling away.”
This method has allowed for increased mobility, self-healing abilities, embedded sensing capabilities and of course, getting cyborgs that much closer to having an unsettlingly lifelike appearance. Takeuchi still thinks they can do better. “We believe that creating a thicker and more realistic skin can be achieved by incorporating sweat glands, sebaceous glands, pores, blood vessels, fat and nerves.”
Is It Artificial Skin? Not Really, It’s Alive. It’s a Biological Machine.
Make no mistake, this is living skin. According to Takeuchi, “if sterility is not maintained, bacteria can enter and the tissue will die.” He went on to explain, “Self-healing is a big deal – some chemical-based materials can be made to heal themselves, but they require triggers such as heat, pressure or other signals, and they also do not proliferate like cells. Biological skin repairs minor lacerations as ours does, and nerves and other skin organs can be added for use in sensing and so on.”
Watching it Grin is Pure Uncanny Valley Nightmare Fuel, So Proceed With Caution.
Why Put Human Skin On A Robot?
This disturbing research is allegedly being performed with goals of contributing to several areas of medical research. This “face on a chip” technology is said to be “invaluable” to skincare research and plastic surgery. But, if that’s all this is for, why add all the other bells and whistles?
There’s No Way This Thing is for Anything “Cosmetic” Surgical
Flexibility for facial expressions, self-repairing capabilities, and “nerves” for sensing abilities? That doesn’t sound like an ideal model to practice surgical techniques on. That sounds like something you want to pass for a human while interacting with humans. Oh wait that’s exactly what Takeuchi implied in an earlier interview:
“Our goal is to develop robots that are truly human-like,” said Shoji Takeuchi. “We think that the only way to achieve an appearance that can be mistaken for a human being is to cover it with the same material as a human being, i.e., living cells.”
The Biohybrid Systems Lab Website Paints Quite A Picture
“Humanoid robots in the future will have to live together with humans, and be able to do the same actions. While robots are fine with vision, hearing or even touch, it will soon become necessary for robots to also be able to smell and taste.” Ummm… Why would they have to smell and taste? They can’t eat. Have to live together? What happened to: this is for advancing medical science?
You can make humanoid robots visually pass for a human and have sensors without making them sensory. As in having the ability to sense by feeling, smelling, tasting things around them in the same manner a human does. They don’t need nerves. Unless it’s not just about passing for human, but feeling like a human. Hmm. What in the world could a container like that be for?
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