by A device with soft fingertips that can mimic human touch could one day enable people living thousands of miles apart to hold hands, scientists say.
Researchers at University College London (UCL) have developed a new technology that they say can “simulate touch as naturally as real sensations.”
The novel device, called BAMH (Innovative Bio-Inspired Haptic System), works by stimulating nerve cells that respond to touch through vibrations.
Scientists are currently using it to better understand how patients with reduced sensitivity in their fingertips lose their sense of touch over time.
They said it could be useful in healthcare as a diagnostic tool for people with metacarpal tunnel syndrome, which occurs due to compression of a nerve in the wrist, or for people with diabetes, where loss of touch is a symptom.
Dr Sara Abad, a roboticist in UCL’s School of Mechanical Engineering, said: “The skin is one of the largest organs in our body and provides various information, such as texture and edges (of objects we touch).
“It also tells us about the type of stimulus we receive, for example a vibration.”
She said the device also offers a way to “integrate touch into our virtual social interactions.”
Dr. Abad said: “For example, due to the pandemic and globalization, it is very likely that you have relatives who do not live in the same city as you.
“Unfortunately, there is a barrier with video calls.
“To build social connections that matter, you need touch, and video calls don’t provide that.”
BAMH features a silicone fingertip connected to a machine the size of a small suitcase.
It works by stimulating four important sensory nerve cells or touch receptors in the skin, giving the patient a “realistic sense of touch,” according to the team.
The researchers hope to recruit at least ten people with sensory loss for a clinical trial over the next few months to learn more about how the sense of touch deteriorates over time.
Professor Helge Wurdemann, head of the robotics department at UCL, said: “We want to understand whether we can detect a deterioration in (touch) sensitivity over time.”
“And then we want to report that data back to the clinician to find out if they can adjust their therapy to slow the loss of (touch) perception.”
According to the researchers, this technology could also be used in robot-assisted surgeries, allowing doctors to assess the type of tissue they are interacting with and determine whether it is cancerous.
Outside of healthcare, she said, more advanced versions of the device, possibly including gloves that provide “a comprehensive feel in the hands,” could help with nuclear waste disposal, where large robots are often used in hazardous areas.
Prof. Wurdemann said: “When radioactive materials need to be disassembled, a realistic sense of touch can be crucial for sorting the different components.”
The team presented its technology at the British Science Festival, held at the University of East London.
