Artificial 'pain nerves' could give humanoid robots human-like reflexes

Researchers at China’s Northeast Normal University have created a soft, jelly-like electronic "pain nerve" designed to give humanoid robots human-like reflexes by sensing pressure at varying intensities rather than a simple on/off detection. These artificial nerves mimic biological pain responses by becoming more sensitive after injury and gradually calming as they "heal." Unlike traditional robot sensors that are binary and stateless, these new nerves use memristors with 16 stable resistance levels, allowing them to encode different pain intensities similar to a dimmer switch. The nerves are made with gelatin, a collagen protein that conducts ions and self-heals when warmed, enabling the formation of conductive paths that translate physical pressure into electronic signals capable of triggering reflexive responses. The team demonstrated the technology by connecting the electronic nerve to a mouse’s sciatic nerve, successfully eliciting muscle reactions akin to natural reflex arcs without brain involvement. While the gelatin requires heating to 60 °C to self-repair—a condition unsuitable for living tissue but feasible for