American engineers from Texas A&M University have developed a material that echoes human skin and can be printed with a standard 3D printer. The project is termed electronic skin, or E-skin, and the findings appeared in the journal Advanced Functional Materials (AFM) as a peer reviewed study.
The substance is built from nanoengineered hydrogels with tunable electronic and temperature sensing capabilities.
In the researchers own words, the ability to recreate the sense of touch and weave it into diverse devices expands possibilities for human machine interaction and enriched sensory experiences. This advancement could improve the daily lives of people with sensory or motor impairments.
The team envisions E-skin becoming a wearable medical platform that continuously monitors temperature, heart rate, and blood pressure, while delivering user feedback and supporting improvements in movement and coordination.
Earlier bioelectronic approaches struggled because rigid designs did not flex with living tissue. The nanoengineered hydrogel framework resolves this mismatch, offering elastic and durable integration with the human body.
Key materials also included defects in molybdenum disulfide atoms to boost electrical conductivity and polydopamine nanoparticles to promote strong adhesion to tissue surfaces.
Earlier efforts include a remotely controlled smart patch injector, which inspired subsequent work on flexible, skin compatible electronics.