Photo by Claudio Schwarz on Unsplash

Scientists Develop Electronic Skin to Give Robots Human Touch

• Written by Andrea Miliani Former Tech News Expert
• Fact-Checked by Sarah Frazier Former Content Manager

Scientists from the University of Cambridge and University College London (UCL) have developed a sensitive electronic “skin” for robots. This robotic tissue has been tested as a robotic hand, allowing machines to detect information through sensors and emulate the human sense of touch.

In a rush? Here are the quick facts:

• Scientists from Cambridge University and the University College London developed an electronic “skin” for robots.
• The robotic skin can detect signals from over 860,000 pathways.
• The researchers still need to work on improvements, but they expect to carry on more tests for real-world experiences soon.

According to the University of Cambridge , the technology is not yet as sensitive as human skin, but it allows robots to interact in new ways and detect different types of touch. Through its sensors, the robotic skin can detect signals from over 860,000 pathways and recognize different levels of pressure, hot or cold surfaces, or “damage” from stabbing or cutting, and the impact on its surface.

The robotic skin can also “learn,” as it integrates a machine learning system to recognize and detect patterns more efficiently. The researchers also focused on developing a conductive and flexible material that is both durable and low-cost.

“Having different sensors for different types of touch leads to materials that are complex to make,” said lead author Dr David Hardman from Cambridge’s Department of Engineering. “We wanted to develop a solution that can detect multiple types of touch at once, but in a single material.”

The scientists melted a flexible and “electrically conductive gelatine-based hydrogel,” testing different configurations until they found the most efficient one.

“We’re not quite at the level where the robotic skin is as good as human skin, but we think it’s better than anything else out there at the moment,” said co-author Dr Thomas George Thuruthel from UCL. “Our method is flexible and easier to build than traditional sensors, and we’re able to calibrate it using human touch for a range of tasks.”

The researchers still need to work on improvements, like the skin’s durability, but they expect to carry on more tests for real-world experiences in the near future. They believe the robotic skin can be useful in multiple industries and fields, including prosthetics, the automotive industry, robotic surgery, and space exploration.

Advances in robotics aimed at developing technologies that approach human capabilities have made great strides in 2025. Recently, the first global robot kickboxing competition was held, showcasing these machines’ ability to maintain balance and coordinate movements like humans. There was also the first robot half-marathon . Human biology remains superior, but technological developments are bringing robots closer to human abilities every day.

Photo by appshunter.io on Unsplash

Hackers Target Washington Post Journalists

• Written by Andrea Miliani Former Tech News Expert
• Fact-Checked by Sarah Frazier Former Content Manager

Hackers have been targeting journalists at The Washington Post and the newspaper’s email system. The Post reported the incident in an internal memo last Sunday and implemented security measures to mitigate the attack.

In a rush? Here are the quick facts:

• Hackers targeted The Washington Post’s journalists and email system.
• Journalists covering economic policy and national security—particularly China—were among the primary targets,
• The attack was disclosed in an internal memo on Sunday.

According to CNN , the Post discovered the suspicious activity last Thursday. The company informed that it had identified a “possible targeted” malicious campaign on its email system and reset the login credentials of all workers.

“Although our investigation is ongoing, we believe the incident affected a limited number of Post journalists accounts, and we have contacted those whose accounts have been impacted,” said Washington Post Executive Editor Matt Murray in the memo. “We do not believe this unauthorized intrusion impacted any additional Post systems or has had any impact for our customers.”

The Post has not provided further details to the media and declined to comment on who was responsible for the attack.

According to The Wall Street Journal , the main reporters targeted in the attack were journalists who cover economic policies and national security, including those who write about China. Some of these journalists’ Microsoft accounts have been compromised, and intruders could have gained access to internal emails.

Sources familiar with the matter explained that staffers affected were notified recently and urged not to discuss the incident or share any information. The WSJ reported that the attack was potentially carried out by a foreign government.

The story was first reported by the WSJ, whose parent company, News Corp, was breached in 2022. During that attack, hackers got access to the journalist’s emails, articles, drafts, and documents. They had a special interest in topics related to or relevant to Beijing.

Journalists have historically been attacked around the world for their first-hand access to sources and confidential information. A few months ago, the Serbian police were accused of deploying advanced spyware and mobile forensic tools to spy on journalists.