Robot skin is getting touchier.
The Chinese company JQ Industries just introduced a fabric-based electronic skin (e-skin) to give robots a humanlike sense of touch. Made from plant-derived materials, it behaves like fabric and can bend and conform like clothing without restricting movement. So basically, Lululemon with embedded sensors.
The skin is woven with conductive fibers that detect pressure, contact and force distribution. The system uses sensor gloves for the hands and pressure-sensing soles for the feet. The E-skin acts as a distributed nervous system. It transmits data from thousands of sensing points to the robot’s artificial intelligence for instant decision-making. It integrates with simulation environments like NVIDIA Isaac Sim and MuJoCo for training AI models using tactile feedback
Shanghai-based JQ Industries demonstrated the capabilities using a Unitree G1 humanoid robot, but the technology is intended for use across platforms. The company says the enhanced sensitivity unlocks more precise grip control and better handling of delicate objects. They say it also makes robots safer around humans. JQ’s ultimate goal is to create a closed loop so next-gen robots can learn from touch the same way humans do.
JQ says its technology differs from traditional electronic skin that relies on delicate thin film that’s hard to produce and tends to degrade with bending. It’s produced with textile manufacturing techniques like modified industrial weaving and roll-to-roll production.
Launched in early 2024, JQ Industries operates as Weihai Juqiao Industrial Technology. The early-stage startup is scaling production of the tactile-sensing technology with at least $2.8 million raised to date.