Chinese researchers develop e-skin with isothermal regulation

BEIJING -- Chinese researchers have recently developed a novel electronic skin with what they said "excellent isothermal regulation."

The researchers from the Southern University of Science and Technology developed this thermoregulating electronic skin (thermo-e-skin) with biomimetic structures, which mimics the thermoregulation mechanism of the human body by integrating a flexible thermoelectric device with a hydrogel composite material.

Through the delicate balance of heat generation and dissipation, the thermo-e-skin maintained a stable surface temperature of 35 degrees Celsius across a wide range of ambient temperatures from 10 degrees Celsius to 45 degrees Celsius.

In recent years, the electronic skin has realized human-like haptic functions and formed stable neurofeedback by mimicking the human body to varying degrees, making it an ideal component for future intelligent robots. However, its thermoregulation function is limited to simple heating or cooling, meaning that it is unable to maintain isothermal regulation for a long time in complex and changing environments.

The study has been published in the Nano Energy journal.