Plastic Skin

First Self-healing, Touch-sensitive Plastic Skin Developed 

A Study published in the journal Nature Nona-technology on November 12, 2012 revealed that researchers have developed the first synthetic skin that is both sensitive to touch and has the ability to heal itself quickly and repeatedly in room temperature. The finding could lead to smarter prosthetic or resilient personal electronics that can repair themselves. It was developed by researchers at Stanford University, USA. 

In the last decade(2000-2012), there have been major advances in synthetic skin, but even the most effective self-healing materials had major drawbacks. Some had to be exposed to high temperatures, making them unsuitable for daily use,. Some others could heal themselves at room temperature  but repairing a cut changed their mechanical or chemical make-up. Most crucially, no self-healing material till now was a good bulk conductor of electricity, an important property. Now, the new plastic skin has remedied all these shortcomings.