Modern robotics is already quite mobile, and machines are capable of performing a wide variety of actions. But most robots lack tactile sensitivity, which is extremely important when interacting with various objects. This may soon change, however, as a group of engineers in Switzerland have created ultra-thin flexible cables that can transmit electronic signals when touched.
Engineers at the Ecole Polytechnique de lausanne (EPFL) are responsible for the development, and, according to Advance Materials, the flexible wires are very similar to the work of human sensitive nerve tissues. It is based on an optical fiber, inside which, from the periphery to the center, there are several tens of rows of electrodes. This allows the device to respond 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. According to 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. We use the same principle to create our artificial nerves. The conductive elements are connected by plastic blocks that are highly elastic and resistant to heat."
The creators have already filed a patent for their technology and hope that the creators of robotics will be interested in their development, but even if this does not happen, scientists say that their material can be easily integrated into any field. For example, smart clothes and wearable electronics.
Vladimir Kuznetsov