From Sensors to Care: How Robotic Skin Is Transforming Modern Healthcare—A Mini Review

Abstract

In recent years, robotics has made notable progress, becoming an essential component of daily life by facilitating complex tasks and enhancing human experiences. While most robots have traditionally featured hard surfaces, the growing demand for more comfortable and safer human-robot interactions has driven the development of soft robots. One type of soft robot, which incorporates innovative skin materials, transforms rigid structures into more pliable and adaptive forms, making them better suited for interacting with humans. Especially in healthcare and rehabilitation, robotic skin technology has gained substantial attention, offering transformative solutions for improving the functionality of prosthetics, exoskeletons, and companion robots. Although replicating the complex sensory functions of human skin remains a challenge, ongoing research in soft robotics focuses on developing sensors that mimic the softness and tactile sensitivity necessary for effective interaction. This review provides a narrative analysis of current trends in robotic skin development, specifically tailored for healthcare and rehabilitation applications, including skin types of sensor technologies, materials, challenges, and future research directions in this rapidly developing field.