Robots and machines are getting smarter with the advancement of artificial intelligence, but they still lack the ability to touch and feel their subtle and complex surroundings like human beings. Now, researchers from the National University of Singapore (NUS) have invented a smart foam that can give machines more than a human touch. Called artificially innervated foam, or AiFoam, the new material – which is soft and feels like a sponge – mimics the human sense of touch, can sense nearby objects without actually touching, and repairs itself when damaged. Compared with other conventional materials, AiFoam is the first smart foam in the world that performs these functions simultaneously, potentially making robots more intelligent and interactive. This breakthrough material was developed over two years by a team led by Assistant Professor Benjamin Tee from the NUS Department of Materials Science and Engineering, and Institute for Health Innovation & Technology (iHealthtech).

Robots and machines are getting smarter with the advancement of artificial intelligence, but they still lack the ability to touch and feel their subtle and complex surroundings like human beings. Now researchers from the National University of Singapore (NUS) have invented a smart foam that can quite literally give machines more of a human touch, describing their results in the journal Nature Communications. The human sense of touch enables people to manipulate objects and operate effectively in unfamiliar environments. When machines that interact with humans possess this capability, robotic motion can be smoother, safer and more predictable. Take machines such as cleaning robots and robotic waiters as an example.