China's neuromorphic e-skin lets humanoid robots sense pain and react

Researchers in China have developed a neuromorphic robotic electronic skin (NRE-skin) that enables humanoid robots to sense touch, detect injury, and respond to harmful stimuli with rapid, reflex-like movements inspired by the human nervous system. Unlike traditional robotic skins that only detect contact pressure, this e-skin mimics biological skin by converting tactile inputs into electrical pulse trains similar to human nerve signals. It features a four-layer structure, including an outer protective layer and underlying sensors that continuously monitor pressure, force, and structural integrity. The skin can detect damage by the cessation of periodic electrical pulses, allowing the robot to identify injury location. A key innovation of the NRE-skin is its ability to trigger immediate reflexive responses without routing signals through a central processor. When pressure exceeds a preset threshold indicating potential harm, a high-voltage signal bypasses the central unit and directly activates the robot’s motors to withdraw from the stimulus, mimicking human pain reflexes. This hierarchical, neural-inspired architecture enhances