Scientists graft living skin onto horrifying robot

The bleeding-edge research out of the University of Tokyo has seen scientists find a way of attaching living skin to robots, or at least one that doesn’t make the skin go all weird and deformed, using special, flexible anchors. ‘Inspired by human skin,’ the researchers designed their robot with special v-shaped holes, which they filled with collagen gel, elastin and nutrients to make a ‘perforation-type anchor.’ Basically, artificial skin ligaments. They then cultured the artificial skin (from real skin cells) on top, which adhered to the ligaments, and in turn, the ligaments kept it in shape. Just keep it covered in nutritious goo and you’ve got yourself some living skin, living on a robot.