This weirds me out just a little bit:
Scientists are moving robots along on that continuum by developing robotic skin that helps them gain the sense of touch. Researchers from Munich to Japan to Boston are currently looking into how to give robots tactile sensation and in some cases, feel pain.
Expanding a robot’s ability to feel ushers in more practical applications. A sensing robot can discern the texture of a surface and the amount of force on contact. Some robots can also detect temperature changes.
For some, the key to improving robots is to have them experience the world as much like humans as possible. For instance, creating skin for robots is the goal of various researchers around the world. Last year researchers introduced artificial skin developed by the Technical University of Munich. The artificial skin, made up of hexagon-shaped silicone cells about 1 in. in diameter, can detect contact, acceleration, proximity and temperature.
John Yiannis Aloimonos, a professor with the University of Maryland’s Department of Computer Science, said such artificial skin “enables robots to perceive their surroundings in much greater detail and with more sensitivity. This not only helps them to move safely. It also makes them safer when operating near people and gives them the ability to anticipate and actively avoid accidents.”
I guess I shouldn't be surprised that robot skin is under-development. Just 2 months ago, I wrote here on MattChat about robot sweat:
https://matthonnold.blogspot.com/2020/02/sweating-robot.html
And don't forget about the walking robots (from a MattChat post last May):
https://matthonnold.blogspot.com/2019/05/walking-robots-out-of-ford.html
Robot + mobility + skin + sweat.
This is the future folks.
Grace & Peace & Love to you all -
Matt