Scientists Put Skin On a Robot Finger, Face Next

Didn't we hear that robots would take over the world one day? Seems like we've heard that before. If science has anything to do with it, not only will they take over the world, they will look like us when they do.

Reachers at the University of Tokyo have successfully grown human skin on the finger of a robot. By adding skin cells to the robot's electronic skeleton, the skin looks like human skin with folds like a real finger and wrinkles as well. Life-like robots are on the horizon.

The strong and stretchy manmade skin can even be healed if damaged.

Imagine seeing a robot that looks human. Would that freak you out a bit? If one walked into the coffee shop and sat at the table next to you...would that creep you out? But how would you know it's a robot? It wouldn't drink the coffee!

Similar technology has recently been tested on the International Space Station.

In the future, we will develop more advanced versions by reproducing some of the organs found in skin, such as sensory cells, hair follicles and sweat glands. Also, we would like to try to coat larger structures. -Professor Shoji Takeuchi to EurekAlert

Hopefully, this new skin technology won't only make robots look real but also help the appearance of humans who have had skin trauma and scarring. However, for now, the main goal is to make robots look real.

Maybe in the old days when people said, "those computers and robots are gonna take over the world", they knew what they were talkin' about. Some might agree that computers already have.