Robotic Hands To Get Sense Of Touch Using Artificial Skin Developed By IIT Mandi

Mandi: In a path-breaking research, the researchers at the Indian Institute Of Technology Mandi in Himachal Pradesh have developed an artificial skin that helps robotic hands to feel objects.

The normal robotic hands used to replace the original ones lost or amputated are not able to feel the things they touch. With the development of artificial skin, according to researchers, such people will also be able to feel.

Artificial Skin Capable Of Recognising Objects

Elaborating on the research, Srikant, Associate Professor at the School of Computing and Electrical Engineering, IIT Mandi said, " Robotic hands are not able to read the human brain, due to which the things held by the artificial hand are not felt, but the artificial skin made by his team is fully capable of recognizing and feeling these things. PDMS substrate and hydrogel are used to make this skin."

"Different strength and pressure is required to hold both tomatoes and potatoes. Using the artificial skin, the robotic hand can feel how much strength and pressure is needed to hold something. Also, it can find out how cold or hot the object is," Srikant added.

Entire Research Done At IIT Mandi

According to Srikant, a 12-member team has engaged in research on this model for the last two years and the entire research was done at IIT Mandi itself. Currently, the model is in its initial stages and it is being fully prepared to hold and feel things. By applying artificial skin on gloves, it is being trained to how tightly to hold something.

The artificial skin model developed by his team, Srikant said, will also work as an assistant for doctors and nurses during duty making their work easier.

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