Like Real Skin, But Better

The skin is an organ that’s easily taken for granted, but it actually does a great deal of work. Human skin is sensitive, able to receive varied stimuli. At the same time, it’s robust enough to endure bruises and cuts, while being able to heal itself in a relatively short time. As scientists develop so-called electronic skin, or e-skin, the challenge is to incorporate all of these properties.

That’s what researchers from the University of Colorado at Boulder (UC Boulder) have attempted with a new type of e-skin. In a study published recently in the journal Science Advances, UC Boulder researchers describe an electronic skin that’s malleable but also durable. It’s an improvement on previous e-skin versions, which weren’t very durable.