How made-in-NTU technologies are changing our future
by Lester Kok / Illustrations and animations by Vivian Lim
Better than human touch
Now
Artificial skin that’s even more sensitive than human skin is here. NTU researchers recently unveiled a new type of man-made skin that not only senses objects well but can identify items it hasn’t touched yet. While human skin can tell the softness or hardness of an object and sense temperature and texture, this artificial skin made from conductive fabric goes beyond these sensory capabilities – it can identify what a material nearby is made of, whether it’s metal, plastic or something else.
Future
Artificial skin will be useful for robots and next-generation prosthetics in allowing
automatons and human users to feel and sense their environment. For example, such
artificial skin on a robotic finger could help factory robots to decipher which objects to pick up without having to grasp them. It
could also be used as a super sensitive
touchpad to control computer input or video games, or as a sensor to detect possible
collisions with other objects.
Robotic spa of the future
Now
Robot masseuse EMMA is now being used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) clinics and hospitals to help relieve lower back discomfort in patients. Operated by a human therapist, it gives the perfect massage every time, with the help of artificial intelligence algorithms. Developed by NTU start-up AiTreat, the robot has an articulated arm with cameras and sensors and is smart enough to analyse and knead tense muscle knots to relieve tension.
Future
Imagine a comfortable spa open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, that you can stroll into for a relaxing and affordable back massage any time you have a stiff back. Next-generation EMMAs can be remotely monitored and controlled, and enable wireless payment for their service. With safety features and the ability to deliver tailored treatments, they can alleviate the shortage of massage therapists faced by TCM clinics, hospitals and spas.
As easy as snapping 1, 2, 3
Now
While flexible and stretchable electronics are not new, the glue used to join them together often easily gets out of shape or broken. To tackle this, NTU scientists developed a flexible and stretchy ribbon-like connector called the BIND, which can be used to join flexible electronics in mere seconds, much like how Lego blocks are snapped together. Not only can the BIND connector be stretched almost three times its length without affecting its functioning, it is 60 times tougher than conventional connectors.
Future
With the BIND interface, glue and wire ribbons could be things of the past. Device makers can simply “plug and play” when assembling flexible electronics. This technology also opens a whole new world for hobbyists, who can now try their hand at making their own stretchy electronic devices such as monitoring bands for pets or smart bandages to monitor injury.
This story was published in the Mar-Apr 2023 issue of HEY!. To read it and other stories from this issue in print, click here.
