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Scientists Discover Way to Send Information into Black Holes Without Using Energy

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Scientists Develop Electronic Skin That Could Give Prosthetic Hands a Sense of Touch

Imagine a prosthetic hand that does more than simply move. One day, it could allow an amputee to sense whether an object is hot or cold, soft or hard, smooth or rough. Scientists at Washington State University (WSU) are working toward that future with a new electronic skin, or e-skin, designed to detect pressure and temperature across prosthetic limbs.

The research, published in Cell Reports Physical Science, introduces a customizable sensing system that could make advanced artificial touch more practical, affordable and comfortable. The system can detect changes at a scale about 10 times finer than current commercial glove sensors, according to the researchers.

Bringing a Sense of Touch to Prosthetics

For people who have lost a limb, modern prosthetics can restore important movement and function. However, most prosthetic devices do not provide the natural feeling of touch.

A person using a prosthetic hand may be able to pick up a cup, for example, but may not actually feel how tightly they are holding it. They also cannot naturally sense its temperature or surface texture.

This is where electronic skin could make a major difference.

E-skin is designed to imitate some of the sensing abilities of human skin. By using networks of tiny sensors, it can detect physical information such as pressure, temperature and, in some systems, movement or texture.

The WSU researchers believe their new system could eventually help convert this information into signals that an amputee can perceive.

Hongyi Shen, a graduate student in WSU's School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering and the paper's first author, said the work could help make medical-grade e-skin more widely available and provide a foundation for prosthetics with both sensing and haptic stimulation.

The Problem With Current E-Skin

Electronic skin technology already exists, but several challenges have prevented it from becoming widely used in prosthetic devices.

Many existing systems are expensive to manufacture and have limited sensing resolution. They may also cover only small areas and struggle to fit the complex, curved shapes of prosthetic limbs.

There is another important problem: customization.

A prosthetic limb does not have a simple flat surface. It can contain curves, angles and irregular shapes. When conventional sensors are adapted to these surfaces, their performance can sometimes decrease.

Researchers therefore wanted to create a system that could maintain high sensing performance while fitting naturally onto different prosthetic shapes.

Their solution combines 3D scanning, digital modeling and manufacturing techniques to create a personalized sensing network.

A “Scan-Model-Print” Approach

One of the most interesting parts of the research is the team's manufacturing process.

The researchers describe it as a “scan-model-print” method.

First, the prosthetic limb is scanned to capture its exact shape. That digital information is then used to determine where the sensors should be placed.

The sensor arrangement is designed according to the geometry of the prosthetic surface. Finally, the system can be produced using techniques including 3D printing and laser cutting.

Kaiyan Qiu, Berry Family Assistant Professor at WSU and a corresponding author of the research, explained that the approach allows the sensors to follow the freeform shape of a prosthetic.

This means the sensing system can potentially provide more seamless coverage instead of being limited to small, predefined areas.

Thin Sensors That Work Together

The researchers developed thin sensor modules that combine pressure and temperature sensing.

These modules are designed as layered structures, allowing them to collect different types of information from the same area.

Pressure sensing could help a prosthetic user understand how strongly they are touching or holding an object. Temperature sensing could provide information about whether something is warm or cold.

Together, these capabilities could provide a more humanlike form of tactile perception.

The system can also identify information related to surface texture and material properties. In the future, this could potentially help a prosthetic user distinguish between different objects based on how they feel.

Importantly, the system is designed to work across both flat and curved surfaces.

Inspired by the Human Skin

Human skin is remarkably complex. It contains different types of receptors that constantly collect information about pressure, temperature, vibration and other sensations.

The WSU system does not yet reproduce all of these abilities. However, the researchers are attempting to create a flexible sensing platform that can collect multiple types of information at high density.

This approach is known as multimodal sensing, because several forms of sensory information are collected rather than relying on only one type of sensor.

Such technology could eventually make prosthetic limbs more responsive and intuitive.

Sensors That Snap Together

Another notable feature is how the sensor modules are assembled.

Instead of depending heavily on adhesives, the researchers designed modules that can connect together somewhat like Lego bricks.

This modular approach could make the system easier to assemble, repair or customize.

The manufacturing process may also help reduce costs. According to the researchers, using relatively simple 3D-printing and laser-cutting techniques could provide a more convenient route toward producing personalized e-skin.

If the technology can eventually be manufactured at scale, this could be important for making advanced prosthetic sensing more accessible.

The Biggest Challenge: Turning Signals Into Feeling

Detecting pressure and temperature is only one part of the challenge.

The most important question is: How can these electronic signals become sensations that a person can actually feel?

The researchers are now working toward that next step.

Their long-term goal is to develop an actuator system capable of converting information collected by the e-skin into stimulation signals. These signals could eventually interact with nerves near the prosthetic interface.

This process could allow information detected by the artificial skin to be communicated to the user's nervous system.

In simple terms, the system would need to complete a chain:

Touch → Sensor → Electronic signal → Stimulation → Perceived sensation

If successful, this could move prosthetic technology closer to providing genuine sensory feedback.

A Step Toward Full Bionic Skin

The current research is still a step toward that larger goal. The researchers have submitted an invention disclosure for a provisional patent and are continuing to develop the technology.

The ultimate vision is not simply a prosthetic limb that can detect pressure or temperature. It is a full bionic skin system capable of sensing the environment and providing meaningful feedback to the person using the prosthetic.

Such technology could have major benefits in everyday life.

A prosthetic user might eventually be able to sense how firmly they are gripping an object, recognize differences between materials, or receive warnings when something is dangerously hot.

That could improve not only convenience but also safety and control.

What Comes Next?

There is still significant work to be done before this technology can become a common clinical product. Researchers must demonstrate long-term reliability, comfort, durability and safe communication with the human nervous system.

The technology will also need extensive testing before it can be widely used by patients.

Still, the WSU research represents an important step toward more intelligent prosthetics.

Today's artificial limbs can restore movement, but the next generation could aim to restore something equally important: the ability to feel.

By combining high-density pressure and temperature sensors with personalized 3D manufacturing, researchers are creating a pathway toward prosthetics that interact with the world in a much more humanlike way.

The future of prosthetics may therefore not be about simply replacing a missing limb. It could be about creating an artificial limb that can sense, respond and eventually feel.

Reference: Hongyi Shen et al, A geometry-aware and customizable multimodal sensing system for texture and material identification in prosthetics, Cell Reports Physical Science (2026). DOI: 10.1016/j.xcrp.2026.103458

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