Monday, February 22, 2010
Artificial Skin will use Quantum Tunneling
Peratech is to develop a novel pressure sensing material for robots.
By Kristina Grifantini
The
UK company Peratech, which last
month signed a deal to
develop novel pressure-sensing technology for screen maker Nissha, has announced
that it will use the same approach to make artificial "skin" for the MIT
Media Lab.
Peratech
makes an electrically conductive material called quantum tunneling composite
(QTC). When the material is compressed electrons jump between two conductors
separated by polymer insulating layer covered with metallic nanoparticles. QTC has
already been used to make small sensors for NASA's Robonaut
and for a robotic gripper made by
Shadow Robot Company.
QTC
robot skin could perhaps let a robot know precisely where it has been touched,
and with how much pressure. It could also be helpful in designing machines that
have better grasping capabilities, and for developing more natural ways for machines to interact with humans.
The company says QTC can be screen-printed as a
flexible, robust sheet as thin as 75 microns or made into a coating just 10
microns thick. Because the material reacts only when a force is applied, it
consumes little power. And it's flexibility will let it conform to unique robotic
shapes.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
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