Sapienza is in the research team that conducted the study on the functioning of an innovative sensorised artificial skin on collaborative robots that emulates a family of human skin corpuscles. Eduardo Palermo of the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering of Sapienza University of Rome is part of the research team who carried out the study published in the international scientific journal Nature Machine Intelligence. The research is coordinated by the Institute of BioRobotics of the Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, in collaboration with the Italian Institute of Technology, the University Campus Bio-Medico of Rome and Ca' Foscari Venice, and the Centro di Competenza ARTES 4.0.

Thanks to tactile fibre-optic sensors, capable of localising and detecting the intensity of contact force over an extended area of artificial skin, it will be possible, according to the study, to improve the interaction of robots with people in a new and improved way, making the machine capable of adapting its behaviour to its surroundings.

This technology fits into the framework of so-called collaborative robotics, with scenarios as diverse as medical robotics, surgical robotics, and personal assistance robotics. It will allow robots to interact with people and assist them safely in everyday tasks. Another scenario is that of Industry 4.0: the robot will be able to become the worker's companion, taking on tasks, reducing physical fatigue and lowering the incidence of accidents at work.

References:

Functional mimicry of Ruffini receptors with fibre Bragg gratings and deep neural networks enables a bio-inspired large-area tactile-sensitive skin - Luca Massari, Giulia Fransvea, Jessica D’Abbraccio, Mariangela Filosa, Giuseppe Terruso, Andrea Aliperta, Giacomo D’Alesio, Martina Zaltieri, Emiliano Schena, Eduardo Palermo, Edoardo Sinibaldi, Calogero Maria Oddo - Nature Machine Intelligence (2022) https://doi.org/10.1038/s42256-022-00487-3

Further Information

Eduardo Palermo
Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
eduardo.palermo@uniroma1.it