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Robot Gets 'Smart Skin' for Gentle Interaction
26 Jul
Summary
- Humanoid robot Gene.01 features advanced 'smart skin'.
- The skin has touch sensors detecting pressure and location.
- Proximity sensors enhance collision avoidance and interaction.

At AMD's Advancing AI conference in San Francisco, a new humanoid robot named Gene.01 was unveiled, equipped with a novel 'smart skin' layer on its arm. This sophisticated sensory covering allows the robot to detect touch, pressure, and proximity.
The 'smart skin' incorporates two types of sensors. Touch sensors pinpoint the exact location and force of contact, visually represented on a screen. Time-of-flight (ToF) proximity sensors detect objects nearby without direct contact, using invisible light to measure distance.
These embedded sensors are crucial for preventing collisions and enabling more gentle interactions, potentially paving the way for robots to work more closely alongside humans. Generative Bionics, the creator of Gene.01, views this robot as a foundational platform for developing customized humanoids.
The company is focused on the challenge of translating this sensory data into real-time decision-making capabilities. Future robots can be tailored with specific 'smart skin' configurations and end effectors based on their intended tasks, moving towards bespoke robotic solutions.