Artificial skin tactile sensors can feel the similar pressure and vibration felt by human skin. The new sensors can detect more sensitive tactile than the existing ones. The skin-based sensor detects both pressure and vibration at the same time and effectively measures textile. The new sensors also convert the surface roughness of a matter into electrical signals to identify physical stimulations with more sensitivity and accuracy.

Each output signal for the SA- and FA-mimicking sensors was very similar to real neural spike signals. (Credit: Nano Lett. 2019, 19, 5, 3305-3312)

The tactile sensors are in a flexible film-form that consist of an upper panel with human fingerprint-like micro patterns, middle panel with vibrator sensor mimicking fast adaptive receptors and a low panel with a pressure sensor mimicking slow adaptive receptors. Researchers used the principle of identifying roughness by measuring the vibration of friction electrical signals that are generated through object surface, to mimic FA receptors.

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