Robot with a sense of touch set to improve ocean cleanup

Researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles, have developed an artificial skin equipped with a sense of touch for underwater robots, potentially improving their capability for tasks such as ocean cleanup. The artificial skin uses the magnetoelastic effect, which occurs in soft plastic-like materials known as polymers. The skin includes neodymium magnets and sensing layers that convert physical touch into electrical signals. An AI model trained on the sensor signals reached 95% accuracy in distinguishing between different objects, including living sea creatures and ocean trash. The touch-based system could enhance the efficiency of underwater robotic exploration and operations. (New Scientist)