Scientists make 'slightly sweaty' robot finger with living skin

Japanese scientists have developed a "slightly sweaty" robotic finger covered in living skin in an advance they say brings truly human-like robots a step closer. The finger, which was shown to be able to heal itself, is seen as an impressive technical feat that blurs the line between living flesh and machine. But scientists were divided on whether people would warm to its lifelike anatomy or find it creepy. "We are surprised by how well the skin tissue conforms to the robot's surface," said Shoji Takeuchi, a professor at the University of Tokyo, who led the work. "But this work is just the first step toward creating robots covered with living skin."