Solar Skin for Prosthetic Limbs
Ravinder Dahiya, an Indian scientist working at the University of Glasgow, is developing skin for prosthetic limbs which will power them using solar energy.
The work began as a way of creating graphene-based artificial skin to be sensitive to touch. It worked brilliantly, but needed a power source. The latest version integrates photovoltaic cells into the skin itself. Currently, Dahiya’s artificial skin operates on just 20 nW per square centimetre, and generates up to 15 times as much energy as it needs, though there currently isn’t any way to store the excess energy.
This solar skin will help amputees regain the ability to feel both contact pressure and temperature in their limbs. Ultimately, Dahiya aims to use the solar skin to power the electric motors in prosthetic limbs too.
As well as helping human amputees, the technology may have applications in robotics!
Mooncustafer 