Artificial Skin

Our skin warns us of danger through pain signals. If you accidentally put a hand on a hot stove, you would instantly recoil because of the unpleasant burning feeling. Imagine how much worse a burn would be if you didn’t feel any pain. That’s what would happen for people with a prosthetic hand. That may soon change. Researchers at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology in Australia have developed artificial skin that can react to pain. Madhu Bhaskaran led this research and is a professor of electronic and telecommunications engineering. (Produced by Cecilia Foster) (Originally aired January 19th, 2021)