Robots Get Fleshy Faces (and Smiles) in New Research
In Japan, engineers are trying to make robots imitate a typically human expression: the smile.They created a face mask from human skin cells and attached it to robots with an innovative technique that hides the binding and is flexible enough to transform into a grimace or cheesy smile.The effect is halfway between the terrifying Hannibal Lecter mask and the Gumby claymation figure.But scientists say the prototypes pave the way for more sophisticated robots, with an outer layer that is elastic and strong enough to protect the machine while making it more humane.According to a study published June 25 in the journal Cell Reports Physical Science, the “skin equivalent,” as researchers call it, made from live skin cells in the laboratory, can scar, burn and even self-heal. .“Human-like faces a...