Magnetoelectric underwater skin senses damage, repairs itself
Researchers at the National University of Singapore (NUS) have developed a sensing electronic skin that functions underwater, detects nearby objects, senses physical contact, recognizes when it has been punctured or cut, and repairs itself after damage.
The technology, called a self-healing magnetoelectric sensory system (SMES), is an elastomeric, stretchable “skin” that combines touch and proximity sensing with built-in damage detection and autonomous self-repair, working both on land and underwater. The researchers demonstrated potential applications of the SMES via two prototypes: a smart diving glove divers can use to communicate wirelessly through hand gestures and an underwater robotic arm that can grasp objects.
Outside of space, one of the harshest conditions for sensitive electronics is beneath the waves. It's mostly frigid; water can seep through tiny gaps and short conductive paths; salt accelerates corrosion; and hydrostatic pressure increases with depth. That’s not all. Contact sensors face plenty of physical abuse as...
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