A joint project between scientists in the U.S. and South Korea produced an artificial membrane capable of mimicking sensory input similar to biological skin. The discovery, reported this week in the science journal Nature Communications, heralds the promise of prosthetic limbs that are more attuned to the natural environment, and give more dexterity to amputees.

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Like organic skin, the membrane is stretchable. Fitted with ultra-thin, single crystalline silicon nanoribbon electrode arrays that detect strain, pressure, humidity, the "cyborg skin" transmit signals to bionic prosthetics and then on to the brain of the wearer.

The new membrane looks like a thin plastic film with fine wiring imbedded inside. The most advanced "smart skin" yet with up to 400 sensors per square millimeter, the invention is the closest man-made approximation of skin yet.

Current smart prosthetics already pick up nerve impulses from a user's central system, but the finesse goes only to a point. Rigid prosthetics are often at odds with soft tissue -- or soft anything. Bionic hands can easily pick up a hard, ceramic cup, but lacking the ability to determine proper pressure levels, squeeze a more pliant paper cup into a crumple. 

A practical artificial skin able to send and receive nerve commands from users has long been considered the holy grail of prosthetics. While flexible electronics have long been on the market, silicon chips, batteries, capacitors, and several other bio-mimetic components are still rigid out of necessity. In turn, this not only makes prosthetics arms and legs less flexible than their biological counterparts, but also less nimble. 

The U.S.-South Korean project could not only wrap around the exterior of a prosthetic limb, but could theoretically line the mechanics of artificial joints, and alert users of wear and tear.

The race for the perfect artificial skin goes back years, with several recent successes. Last year, a Japanese team created a type of e-skin composed of a delicate metallic mesh, while Israeli scientists created a similar membrane out of gold nanoparticles, also last year.  

TagsCyborg, skin, artificial skin