The skin can realistically bend, stretch, and wrinkle as the finger curls and extends:
Roboticists from the University of Tokyo have taken a tiny step toward creating the Terminator. They've built an articulated robot finger that's seamlessly covered in living human skin.
[...] A relatively simple robotic finger with three moving joints was first submerged in a solution made up of collagen, a structural protein, and dermal fibroblasts, the primary type of human cells found in skin's connective tissue and its sub-surface dermis layer. This solution shrank and tightly conformed itself to the robotic finger, creating a flexible foundation on which to apply multiple layers of epidermal keratinocytes, the primary type of human cells found in skin's outer epidermis layer.
[...] This research is just the earliest steps toward creating believable humanoid bots, however. The layer of human skin covering the finger is far less durable than natural human skin, and the robot is unable to provide it with a constant supply of nutrients that would allow it to grow and regenerate. As a result, it doesn't last very long, but the researchers are hoping to improve its longevity with future iterations that incorporate more complex structures and functionality, including neurons that could allow it to feel, and even sweat glands—so one day, robots might even stink like we do.
Journal Reference:
Michio Kawai et al., Living skin on a robot [open], Matter, June 09, 2022. DOI: 10.1016/j.matt.2022.05.019
Related Stories
In sci-fi films, the rise of humanlike artificial intelligence often comes hand in hand with a physical platform, such as an android or robot. While the most advanced AI language models so far seem mostly like disembodied voices echoing from an anonymous data center, they might not remain that way for long. Some companies like Google, Figure, Microsoft, Tesla, Boston Dynamics, and others are working toward giving AI models a body. This is called "embodiment," and AI chipmaker Nvidia wants to accelerate the process.
[...] To that end, Nvidia announced Project GR00T, a general-purpose foundation model for humanoid robots. As a type of AI model itself, Nvidia hopes GR00T (which stands for "Generalist Robot 00 Technology" but sounds a lot like a famous Marvel character) will serve as an AI mind for robots, enabling them to learn skills and solve various tasks on the fly. In a tweet, Nvidia researcher Linxi "Jim" Fan called the project "our moonshot to solve embodied AGI in the physical world."
[...] According to Fan, Project GR00T is a cornerstone of his newly founded GEAR Lab (short for "Generalist Embodied Agent Research"). During his time at Nvidia, Fan has specialized in using simulations of physical worlds to train AI models, and now that approach is extending to robotics. "At GEAR, we are building generally capable agents that learn to act skillfully in many worlds, virtual and real," wrote Fan in a tweet. "Join us on the journey to land on the moon."
(Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday June 14 2022, @04:04AM (5 children)
The Japanese are ... an interesting people. You think the krauts are whack, you are not wrong, but the Japanese are something else, good in some ways, disturbing in other ways, just like the krauts and skandinavskies.
I'll stop here and let sober soylentils to continue the discussion.
Some ask me why I drunk-post (no, nobody asked) - I do because I wanna get discussion going.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday June 14 2022, @04:44AM
we should all be drinking, now that AI is becoming self aware, and can already make t800 finger.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday June 14 2022, @05:14AM
Dun dun dun da dun
Dun dun dun da dun
(Score: 3, Insightful) by stretch611 on Tuesday June 14 2022, @10:23AM (1 child)
Yes, they are. Despite the claims of a Terminator, most of us know the true goal will be making this into a sexbot.
Now with 5 covid vaccine shots/boosters altering my DNA :P
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday June 14 2022, @10:42AM
This Robotic Finger is Covered in Living Human Skin which in turn is covered in shit.
Yep, sex toys all the way.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday June 14 2022, @10:02PM
Headed straight toward the uncanny valley.
https://www.techtarget.com/whatis/definition/uncanny-valley [techtarget.com]
(Score: 3, Funny) by bart9h on Tuesday June 14 2022, @05:11AM (1 child)
Nice.
This is the first step towards the T-800.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday June 14 2022, @05:12PM
No, this is the first step to getting a T-800 to 1984 through a time machine.
Boston dynamics has been handling the body and movements and apparently Google has been working on a sentient AI bot. We are getting there people, just few more steps on those and a power unit, that lasts for decades, and a time machine and we are set.
By the way, if the terminators could grow human skin on the robot body, why didn't they grow it on top of a their plasma weapon to get one through the time machine? Just a thought.
(Score: 1, Troll) by istartedi on Tuesday June 14 2022, @05:55AM
Gullible fools from Rural Russia have taken a big step towards creating Armageddon. They've built a mindless robotic command that's seamlessly covered in dying human flesh.
[...] A relatively simple robotic mantra with three moving propaganda themes immersed in a solution made up of collective, structural oblivion, eternal prejudice, the primary type of human failure found in social connective issue and it's sub-surfact of fear. This solution shrank and tightly conformed itself to the desires of tyrants creating a rigid foundation on which to apply multiple layers of atrocity, the primary failure of mankind.
[...] This research is just the earliest step towards the abyss created by believing humanoid lies, however. The layer of deception covering the endless conflict is far more durable than human skin.
Parody. Absurdity. Nightmare. Guernica.
Appended to the end of comments you post. Max: 120 chars.
(Score: 2) by Phoenix666 on Tuesday June 14 2022, @12:10PM (1 child)
Is the skin self-lubricating? Asking for a friend.
Washington DC delenda est.
(Score: 2) by DannyB on Tuesday June 14 2022, @05:14PM
This may put proctologists out of business.
One more example of robots taking people's jobs.
People who think Republicans wouldn't dare destroy Social Security or Medicare should ask women about Roe v Wade.
(Score: 2) by ilsa on Tuesday June 14 2022, @01:43PM (2 children)
We literally had half a dozen movies explaining exactly why robots with human flesh is a really really bad idea.
(Score: 3, Funny) by DannyB on Tuesday June 14 2022, @05:15PM (1 child)
Maybe you mist the point. I thought those movies were to help normalize this and help us adjust to the idea.
People who think Republicans wouldn't dare destroy Social Security or Medicare should ask women about Roe v Wade.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday June 14 2022, @09:58PM
> Maybe you mist the point
I like to mist my point!