AiFoam Helps Robots Interact With Their Environment

Researchers at the National University of Singapore have created something they call AIFoam. The material is a smartphone designed to give machines a more human-like sense of touch, allowing robots to judge human intentions and respond to changes in the environment. Artificially innervated foam, or AIFoam, is a new material that's soft and spongy. It's designed to mimic the sense of human touch and can sense nearby objects without actually having to touch them.

AIFoam is also able to repair itself when damaged. Researchers say that AIFoam is the first smartphone in the world able to perform those functions simultaneously and can significantly change robotics making them more intelligent and interactive. The team working on the material says they wanted to show that it was possible to replicate the human sense of touch in a robot.

In humans, the sense of touch allows people to manipulate objects and operate effectively in unfamiliar environments. The team says if robots possessed that capability, robotic motion could be smoother, safer, and more predictable. If robots of the future can detect humans from a distance and use the information they gain to infer human intentions, they can react faster and avoid colliding with people.

Avoiding collisions with humans is particularly important for any robots that are used in crowded areas. The researchers say some advanced electronic skins can sense pressure when in direct contact with an object. However, none of the electronic skins can sense the direction of movement of adjacent objects.

AIFoam is a highly elastic polymer created using a mix of a Teflon-like substance known as a fluoropolymer with a surfactant that lowers surface tension. The material can be separated into two pieces but easily fuses back into one piece. The material also has microscopic metal particles enabling the foam to sense the pressure of a capacitive object like a human finger. Under the foam are fine cylinder-shaped electrodes meant to mimic nerve endings in human skin. The researchers are currently investigating partnerships with robotic companies and looking to expand the use of AIFoam in areas like prosthetics.