We sense the world around us through our eyes, ears, nose, and skin. We might not always realize it, but the skin is the largest sensor of them all! We feel the environment through our skin, grasp objects, sense heat/cold/air, and interact with others. So it is only natural to design a similar structure for robots:). Goddard technologist Vladimir Lumelsky is developing a high-tech, sensor-embedded covering artificial skin for robots, which will allow them to sense the surroundings in a much more 'human' way.

Robot Skin (Courtesy: PhysOrg)The future lies with the robots who can interact with the environment like we humans do. For example, in space, robotic arms are increasingly being used to position satellites, and repair/upgrade the International Space Station. The system needs to know if any part of the arm has collided with any object, and an artificial sensor skin is the best solution.
The idea is to develop a "sensitive skin" that technicians could use to cover a robot. This skin will include more than 1,000 infrared sensors that would detect an object, and send the information to the robot's brain. The brain would digest the information, apply reasoning and react within milliseconds by directing the robot to move. Future skin prototypes likely will have a higher density of sensors on the skin, which will provide the robots with even greater dexterity.
There are a lot of challenges. First, the skin has to be durable, and be able to handle high levels of radiation. It has to be flexible and light-weight. It also has to be able to suffer losses, and still work. The technology is not there yet, but scientists are getting closer:):).