NewScientist (28 January 2017) reports on the development of a heat-sensing biofilm, made of pectin, for use by robots. How did they test it?
The film can sense temperature changes as small as 10 millikelvin, which is twice as sensitive as human skin. It can detect a warm body the size of a rabbit from a metre away, something the researchers tested by microwaving a teddy bear and setting it at different distances from the film. Changes in temperature cause the film’s resistance to vary, which is picked up by electrodes along the edges and transmitted to a computer.
Since when did I start anthropomorphizing teddy bears? All I can think is Poor little guy, even though the actual invention is cool as well, although I’d rather see it as goggles a human could wear.
