E-skin mends itself ‘likeThe Terminator’

AN electronic skin that repairs itself like that of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s character in The Terminator has been developed.

The skin, made of a new polymer called polyimine, which is laced with silver, is designed for use in robots and prosthetics, and is also recyclable.

Scientists at University of Colorado Boulder embedded sensors for pressure and temperature that may pave the way for a robot to care for a baby.

Prof Wei Zhang said: “You’d integrate e-skin on the robot fingers that feel the pressure of the baby.

“The idea is to mimic biological skin with e-skin that has desired functions.”

But he admitted the new healing process was not nearly as dramatic as that of Arnie’s film character.