Engineers from South Korea taught artificial fingerprints to feel the texture of the surfaces and to perceive sound vibrations. 


The results of their research published authors in the journal Science Advances, and brief them available online at Science News.

In its work, the engineers used the ideas suggested by nature. The tips of human fingers, according to experts, have an extremely high sensitivity, which scientists try to imitate in their microstructure ferroelectric artificial skin.

It consists of three layers. The first is protective, the other two - conductive. Exerting influence on the first layer (for example, pressing or heating), you can change the strength of the current between the two underlying layers. In particular, when the pressure is increased amperage, and the material expands when heated.

Also, artificial fingerprints learned to react to sound vibrations. That scientists were able to achieve due to the high sensitivity of the surface material artificial leather. Sound vibrations cause small perturbations in it and lead to a change in current between the two lower layers.

The technology of artificial skin has long been popular among scientists. Currently, there are several ways to simulate the human skin, but they are still only able to perceive the changes in pressure and temperature. Scientists from South Korea, according to them, have managed to create a sensor whose sensitivity is higher than the previous development.

In the next step the researchers plan to learn how to transmit signals from the artificial fingerprints into the brain of mice. Scientists note that the technology associated with the imitation of human integument, is gaining popularity. Experts do not exclude the occurrence of future special wearable sensors on human skin.