'Super skin' for robot limbs can feel - and survive the pressure of two elephants standing on it

The 'skin-like' sensor unveiled by Stanford University scientists can 'feel' pressure just like human skin - but is far, far tougher.

It could be used for advanced prosthetic limbs - or to create robots that can 'feel' a touch.

The 'super skin' sensor contains carbon nanotubes - tiny, hair-like filaments of carbon - that 'sense' pressure. The 'skin' can sense anything from a light pinch up to a huge, crushing pressure without sustaining damage

The 'super skin' can be stretched out to twice its length and snap back without any harm.

Inside are tiny 'springs' made of carbon nanotubes - minuscule hair-like filaments - that can 'sense' pressure from a slight pinch up to the equivalent of two elephants stepping on top of the sensor.

The highly conductive nanotubes can be stretched in any direction, but still send electrical information - which could be fed back to a robot brain or to a patient.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2053151/Super-skin-robot-limbs-feel--survive-pressure-elephants-standing-it.html