Modern robotics is already quite mobile, and machines are capable of performing a mass of a wide variety of activities. But most robots lack tactile sensitivity, which is extremely important when interacting with various objects. However, soon everything can change because a group of engineers from Switzerland has created ultra-thin flexible cables that can transmit electronic signals when touched.
For the development are responsible engineers of the Federal Polytechnic School of Lausanne (EPFL), and, according to the publication Advance Materials, the principle of the action of flexible wires is much like the work of sensitive human nerve tissues. The basis is the fiber, within which several tens of rows of electrodes are located from the periphery to the center. Due to this, the device can react to pressure, touch and even damage. The "synthetic nerve" itself can distinguish the load due to the fact that different tactile electrodes are located at different depths. As the head of the project, Fabien Sorin,
"The human nervous system is very similar to a fiber-optic network, where each nerve is a cable, and inside it are electrodes. The same principle we use when creating our artificial nerves. The conductor elements are connected by plastic blocks, which have a high elasticity and are resistant to heat. "
The creators have already filed a patent for their technology and hope that the creators of robotics are interested in their development, but even if this does not happen, scientists say that their material can easily be integrated into any field. For example, in smart clothes and wearable electronics.
