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Bio-Design and Manufacturing  2026 Vol.9 No.1 P.4 - 31

http://doi.org/10.1631/bdm.2500376


AI-powered electronic skin: from smart design to cognitive interaction


Author(s):  Baocheng Wang, Depeng Kong, Huayong Yang, Kaichen Xu, Geng Yang

Affiliation(s):  1. State Key Laboratory of Fluid Power and Mechatronic Systems, School of Mechanical Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China more

Corresponding email(s):   yanggeng@zju.edu.cn

Key Words:  Robotics, Electronic skin, Artificial intelligence (AI), Tactile perception


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Depeng Kong. AI-powered electronic skin: from smart design to cognitive interaction[J]. Journal of Zhejiang University Science D, 2026, 9(1): 4 - 31.

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Abstract: 
Robotic electronic skin (e-skin) is inspired by human skin and endows robots with tactile perception, temperature detection, and environmental interaction capabilities. However, its development is hampered by prolonged design cycles, limited signal enhancement, and weak cognitive abilities. Given that the convergence of artificial intelligence (AI) with e-skin is fundamentally transforming this landscape, the present review highlights the pivotal contributions of AI across the entire development spectrum of robotic e-skin, including design optimization, signal processing, and cognitive enhancement. AI-driven design paradigms dramatically shorten development time and enable the discovery of optimal sensor materials and structures. In signal processing, AI algorithms notably improve the ability to decouple complex sensory data, enabling robust, multimodal, super-resolution sensing. AI endows e-skin with advanced cognitive capabilities, allowing it to interpret intricate tactile information and intelligently respond to external environments. By underscoring the potential of AI throughout the entire development pipeline, this review aims to drive the creation of e-skin with minimal hardware and maximal cognition and thus achieve revolutionary breakthroughs in cutting-edge fields such as human-robot interactions, precise robot control, and soft robotics for environmental exploration.

AI-powered electronic skin: from smart design to cognitive interaction

机器人电子皮肤借鉴人类皮肤的感知机制, 为机器人赋予触觉感知、 温度检测、 环境交互等能力。 然而, 其进一步发展仍面临设计周期长、 信号增强能力有限以及认知能力不足等挑战。 人工智能(AI)与机器人电子皮肤的深度融合正从本质上改变这一现状。 本文重点探讨了 AI 在机器人电子皮肤发展全流程中的关键作用, 涵盖结构设计优化、 多模态信号处理、 认知能力提升等多个方面。 在电子皮肤的设计阶段, AI 驱动的设计范式大幅缩短了开发周期, 高效探寻出最优的传感材料与结构参数。 在信号处理层面, AI 显著增强了对复杂感知数据的解耦与分析能力, 实现了鲁棒、 多模态和超分辨率的触觉传感。 进一步地, AI 赋能电子皮肤高阶认知功能, 使其能够理解复杂触觉信息并智能适应外部环境变化。 本综述系统阐述了 AI 在电子皮肤开发全流程中的潜力, 旨在推动构建“硬件极简化、 认知极大化”的新一代电子皮肤, 从而对人机交互、 高精度机器人控制、 环境探索软体机器人等领域产生深远影响, 有望催生新的研究范式。
Robotics; Electronic skin; Artificial intelligence (AI); Tactile perception

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