Now, real-life scientists have developed a synthetic skin for robots that "heals" itself and possesses a human-like sense of touch. Researchers say this material could potentially make people more comfortable with artificial intelligence in homes and workplaces. It may also contribute to the development of more realistic humanoid robots.

"We've achieved what we believe to be the first demonstration of a multi-layer, thin film sensor that automatically realigns during healing," says Ph.D. candidate Chris Cooper, a co-author of the study, in a media release. "This is a critical step toward mimicking human skin, which has multiple layers that all re-assemble correctly during the healing process."

Human skin has extraordinary qualities, such as sensing temperature, pressure, and texture, stretching and recovering repeatedly, and serving as a protective barrier against environmental threats. The researchers at Stanford University aimed to replicate these features by using layered synthetic materials.