Classroom Questions

Questions for “This artificial skin feels ‘ghosts’ — things you wish were there”

an image of a robot hand touching a human hand wearing a glove on one finger

A device made from a new kind of artificial skin, shown covering a finger, simulates the sense of touch.

UNSW Sydney

By Science News Explores

To accompany “This artificial skin feels ‘ghosts’ — things you wish were there”

SCIENCE

Before Reading:

1.  How do you touch, feel and manipulate objects?

2.  How does a person’s sense of touch work?

3.  How does the sense of touch help people in their daily lives?  

During Reading:

1.  What does the term “haptic” mean?  

2.  How might the stretch-skin device developed by engineers at the University of South Wales in Australia help people with artificial limbs?

3.  How does the SSD’s tactor interact with the small fluid-filled tubes inside the device’s fabric?

4.   What happens to the SSD’s fabric as those fluid-filled tubes expand and contract?

5.   What question from a doctor inspired Thanh Nho Do to develop the SSD?

6.   As of now, can the SSD react to changes in temperature?

After Reading:

1.  Researchers say that stretch-skin devices might be used in medicine, underwater research or space exploration. In what types of situations or applications might they be useful for each? Be creative.

2.  What might be the potential benefits of SSDs? What are might be some drawbacks? Explain your answers.