The e-skin allows robots to navigate their surroundings in the dark by feeling objects around them.
It mimics the properties of human skin as it can stretch and even heal itself.
The e-skin is also able to detect changes in temperature and pressure.
One of the main challenges in e-skin development so far has been the lack of suitable composite materials to mimic the sensory properties of human skin.
The scientists from Southeast University overcame this challenge by developing the e-skin out of natural silk.
“The e-skin heals itself,” said Duan Shengshun, a member of the research team, noting that a skin graft can be easily done by attaching a new piece to the scratched piece.
The findings have been published in the journal ACS Nano.