Engineers at Texas A&M University have created a new material that mimics human skin and can be 3D printed. The development was called “electronic skin” and E-skin, reports Mail.ru with reference to Advanced Functional Materials (AFM).
The material consists of nanoengineered hydrogels with tunable electronic and temperature biosensing capabilities.
“The ability to replicate the sense of touch and integrate it into various technologies opens up new possibilities for human-machine interaction and advanced sensory experiences”, - said study leader Dr. Akhilesh Gaharwar.
The creators of E-skin believe that this material can be used to create wearable medical devices that constantly monitor a person's health and improve the quality of life of people with disabilities.
The authors of the development note that E-skin has a number of advantages over existing bioelectric devices. Firstly, E-skin is more flexible and elastic, which permits it to adhere better to the skin. Secondly, E-skin has higher electrical conductivity, which permits for more accurate measurements of physical signals.
