Mimicking Sense of Touch

Scientists have discovered how to mimic the sense of touch. A team from the US and China did this by making an experimental array that can sense pressure in the same range as the human fingertip. More specifically, they used bundles of vertical zinc oxide nano wires to build arrays consisting of about 8,000 transistors. Each of the transistors could then independently produce an electronic signal when placed under mechanical strain. This advancement is very essential because it can be applied in many different ways. For example, the advance could speed the development of smarter artificial skin. "This could make artificial skin smarter and more like the human skin. It would allow the skin to feel activity on the surface". Another way this could be applied is with robots: the sensors could give the robots a more adaptive sense of touch. As Prof Wang said, "this could be used in broad range of areas, including robotics, (very small devices known as MEMS), human-computer interferences and other areas that involve mechanical deformation". To know more about this advancement, click on the website: http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-22302487