Japanese scientists have succeeded in making a robot smile “naturally” using human cells, a technological breakthrough as robots are typically covered with silicone skin that neither sweats nor heals, according to Agence France-Presse.
Researchers from the University of Tokyo presented their findings on Monday in a study published in the journal “Cell Reports Physical Science.” They also released a video showing a group of robots exhibiting “natural but eerie” smiles.
To create a “natural smile,” the researchers injected gelatin into human tissues and inserted them into holes in the robot, a method inspired by the actual ligaments in human skin.
The specialists hope that “this technique will provide a better understanding of wrinkle formation and the physiology of facial expressions and contribute to the development of materials for organ transplantation and cosmetic products,” according to the team led by Professor Shoji Takeuchi of Mechanical Informatics.
Their ultimate goal is to endow robots with the “self-healing capabilities inherent” in human skin.
In previous studies, scientists injected collagen into lab-produced skin with a wound, which was then applied to a robotic finger. The objective was to demonstrate how it could heal.
natural smile in robot
