Researchers make “neuromorphic” artificial skin for robots
Ars Technica••health
Key Points:
- Researchers in China have developed a neuromorphic robotic e-skin (NRE-skin) that mimics the nervous system's use of spiking signals to process pressure information on a robotic hand, enabling location identification and reflex-like responses to harmful stimuli.
- The artificial skin uses flexible polymers embedded with pressure sensors that convert inputs into electrical spike trains, encoding pressure intensity through spike frequency and sensor identity via a barcode-like pattern.
- The system features a multi-layered architecture where initial sensory data triggers pain signals and reflex actions without higher-level processing, while combined signals are sent to a robotic controller for complex responses like changing facial expressions.
- Designed for easy repair, the e-skin is modular with magnetically interlocking segments that broadcast
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