--- title: "Scientists Wrapped a Phone in Fake Human Skin" description: "A team of researchers have developed a human-inspired, artificial skin that can \"augment\" interactive devices, including a phone and wearables." date: "2019-10-21" modified: "2019-10-21" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/fake-human-skin-phone" categories: - "Artificial Intelligence" tags: - "artificial skin" - "communication technology" - "skin" - "the digest" --- # Scientists Wrapped a Phone in Fake Human Skin ![A team of researchers have developed a human-inspired, artificial skin that can "augment" interactive devices, including a phone and wearables.]() *\Image: Marc Teyssier\* ## Flesh App We're pretty used to swiping, tapping, and typing on touch screens and touchpads — but what if we swapped them out something more biological? A team of researchers from France and the United Kingdom have developed a human-inspired artificial skin called "Project Skin-On" that claims to be able to "augment" interactive devices, including smartphones and wearables. They've wrapped the epidermis, which you can pinch and prod, around a smartphone, a laptop touchpad, and a smartwatch. https://youtu.be/OuEhqHvE1qU ## Feels Real The skin not only looks and feels real, but it can detect a variety of gestures allowing electronic devices to "feel" the user's touch, distinguishing a tickle from a pet and so on. "The idea is perhaps a bit surprising, but skin is an interface we are highly familiar with so why not use it and its richness with the devices we use every day?" lead supervisor Anne Roudaut, from the University of Bristol, said in [a statement](). ## Human Touch Furthermore, the skin could be used to convey the emotional resonance of the human touch without the limits of a keyboard and mouse. "We implemented a messaging application where users can express rich tactile emotions on the artificial skin," said Marc Teyssier, lead author of [the paper](), which has yet to be published. "The intensity of the touch controls the size of the emojis," Teyssier added. "A strong grip conveys anger while tickling the skin displays a laughing emoji and tapping creates a surprised emoji." **READ MORE:** [Help, I Can't Unsee These Faux-Flesh Phone Cases]() \[*Gizmodo*\] **More on artificial skin:** *[Artificial “Electronic Skin” Could Warn Humans of Impending Danger]()* ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()