Scientists create skin for robots

Scientists have taken another leap to make robots look more "human" by developing human-like skin for robots.

The scientists put together a joint robotic finger covered with living skin by culturing a "single piece of skin tissue surrounding the robotic finger". 

The study said it resulted in a "paradigm shift" from traditional robotics to "biohybrid robotics". The researchers said skin covered the robotic finger tightly and had enough "strength and elasticity to withstand deformation".

The study concluded that the biohybrid robots displayed superior sensory capabilities including energy conversion and self-repair functions like living beings.

The breakthrough development can help in creating better prosthetics although the scientist linked to the study said it still lacks some advanced features of skin namely hair follicles, nails and sensory neurons but in further research the robots could look like humans.

The robot skin was created as scientists took a robotic finger and submerged it in a cylinder with a special solution which had the right condictions to grow the skin. 

The solution contained collagen which is a protein that helps in skin elasticity including "human dermal fibroblasts" in the form of skin cells which helped put the skin on the robot's finger.