Researchers have developed durable electronic skin

a new material that mimics human skin in terms of strength, scalability and sensitivity and can be used to collect biological data in real time. This electronic skin could play an important role in the next generation of prosthetics, personalized medicine, soft robots and artificial intelligence.
" ideal electronic skin will mimic many of the natural functions of human skin, such as accurate, real-time perception of temperature and touch. Cai Yichen, a postdoctoral student at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), said. However, it is a challenge to create an electronic product that performs such a delicate task while being able to withstand the bumps and frictions of everyday life, and every material must be carefully designed.
most electronic skins are made by placing an active nanomaterial (sensor) layered on a stretchable surface that adheres to human skin. However, the connections between these layers are often too fragile, which reduces the durability and sensitivity of the material. On the other hand, if it is too hard, flexibility is limited, making it more likely to break and disconnect circuits.
" skin electronics is changing at an alarming rate. The emergence of 2D sensors has accelerated efforts to integrate these atomically thin, mechanically strong materials into functional, durable artificial skins. Cai Yichen said.
A team led by Cai Yichen and colleague Shen Jie has created a durable electronic skin that uses a hydrogel reinforced by silicon dioxide nanoparticles as a sturdy and elastic substrate and 2D titanium carbide MXene as a sensing layer, combined with highly conductive nanowires.
, explains: "More than 70% of hydrogels are water, which makes them very compatible with human skin tissue. "The researchers stretched the hydrogel in all directions, added a layer of nanowire, and carefully released it, eventually creating a conductive channel to the sensor layer. Even if the material is stretched to 28 times its original size, the channels remain intact, the researchers said.
new electronic skin prototype can sense objects up to 20 cm away, react to stimuli in less than 1/10 seconds, and distinguish between handwriting written on them when used as a pressure sensor. It still works after 5,000 deformations, with a recovery time of about 1/4 second each.
researchers say electronic skin remains resilient after repeated use, an amazing achievement that mimics the elasticity and rapid resilience of human skin.
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