Researchers have created an artificial tactile sensing system that mimics the way in which humans recognize objects in their surroundings via their sense of touch, reports Tech Xplore. This system uses sensors to capture data associated with the tactile properties of objects. Biological sensory systems convert tactile stimuli into action potentials through a process known as somatosensory transduction. Subsequently, they transmit these signals to the brain via afferent nerves. To emulate the human tactile system, the artificial neural tactile skin utilizes sensors that respond to pressure and vibration, replicating the function of slow adaptive and fast adaptive mechanoreceptors in human skin. The data collected resembles information gathered by human sensory neurons; thus they ultimately produce signals that look like human tactile nerve signals. The system is made up of T-skin films with conductive piezoresistive and piezoelectric particles arranged in an elastic polymer matrix. The researchers evaluated the system in a series of experiments on mice. Promising results confirm the possibility of integrating the system with real biological systems.

https://techxplore.com/news/2021-06-artificial-tactile-skin-mimics-human.html