"Soft e-skin mimics human touch and generates nerve-like impulses"
Researchers at Stanford University have developed a soft, flexible electronic skin that can mimic the process of touch. The technology could be used to create a covering for prosthetic limbs that would give wearers a sense of touch or help to restore sensation in people whose skin has been damaged. The e-skin is a thin, flexible sensor that can transmit a signal to the motor cortex in a rat's brain that causes the animal's leg to twitch when the e-skin is pressed or squeezed. The researchers hope to develop a less-invasive system that could be used in people who have suffered major injuries or have sensory disorders.