New electronic skin brings self-healing sensors to underwater robots and divers
Researchers at the National University of Singapore have developed a self-healing magnetoelectric sensory system for underwater robots and divers. This technology mimics biological skin to provide touch sensing and autonomous repair capabilities in harsh environments.
Why it matters
This innovation improves the durability and safety of underwater robotics and human-machine interfaces, which are currently limited by sensor fragility.
edited by Swati Mestri , reviewed by Robert Egan
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Add as preferred source An amphibious, self-healing magnetoelectric system with integrated damage sensing. Credit: Advanced Materials (2026). DOI: 10.1002/adma.202523052 Underwater environments are among the harshest operating conditions for electronic devices. Divers and underwater robots depend on sensors to navigate, communicate and handle objects, but conventional sensors are fragile, reliant on an external power source and unable to recover when damaged. A punctured sensor underwater typically means lost functionality with little prospect of on-the-spot repair, a limitation that shortens the working life of underwater machines and raises safety concerns for divers.
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