The finer touch: when ‘artificial skin’ is more sensitive than the original

In the city of Graz, flanking both sides of the river Our in Austria, it sometimes gets so cold you cannot feel your finger tips, or even your fingers anymore. Dr. Coclite and her team had succeeded in developing a three-in-one “smart skin” hybrid material, which closely resembles human skin by simultaneously sensing pressure, moisture and temperature and converting them into electronic signals. While work on the artificial skin project began in 2016 as funding came in, “ before that, we were working on the materials that have been used in this type of device, for example, one of the materials is a smart polymer, which changes thickness, depending on humidity and temperature.” All about materials Which puts everything in the hands, literally, of the materials used for the prototype, they are the fundamental constituents of the whole process. To create these sensors and especially to have them so tiny, so that the resolution can be below the resolution the human skin is capable of, we use the precise chemical vapor deposition technique to have a fine product.” Being sustainable For those also conscious of leaving a waste trail, and making sure any project is sustainable, the other advantage Dr. Coclite’s team provides is the sizing. Because I think it would be really cool, from my point of view, if one of my research projects could help give back the sensation to patients who have lost it or solve real problems.” Among the projections, the smart skin could also be used as a sensor with smart watches, when it is programmed to collect precise information about the health status of patients.