Scientists have attached living skin to robots, enabling them to smile.

Scientists have developed a method to attach engineered living skin tissue to robots, enabling them to smile and appear more lifelike.

A team at Tokyo University in Japan claims this advancement could enhance robotic platforms’ mobility, aid in plastic surgery training, and be beneficial in the cosmetics industry.

Though the prototype resembles something from science fiction, the skin was engineered using living cells, with special “V-shaped perforations in solid materials” used to attach the skin to structures. Professor Shoji Takeuchi, the team leader, has previously overseen biohybrid projects such as 3D printed lab-grown meat and robots with biological muscle tissue.

“The natural flexibility of the skin and strong adhesion methods allow it to move with the robot’s mechanical components without tearing or peeling,” Takeuchi explained. He noted the difficulty of working with soft, wet biological tissues, emphasizing the need for sterility to prevent bacterial contamination and tissue death.

This breakthrough allows living skin to provide new capabilities for robots, including self-healing. Unlike chemical-based materials that require triggers like heat or pressure to heal, biological skin repairs minor cuts naturally and can be augmented with nerves and other organs for sensing.

Takeuchi mentioned that the human appearance was replicated to some extent and found it motivating to create robots that can “heal themselves” and exhibit “humanlike dexterity.” He highlighted the need for surface wrinkles and a thicker epidermis to achieve a more realistic appearance, which could be achieved by incorporating features like sweat glands, sebaceous glands, pores, blood vessels, fat, and nerves.

The research was published in the journal Cell Reports Physical Science.