A Clemson associate professor + grad assistant have built a skin for machines that can allow them to feel pain. Sounds weird, but hang with us – applying the new laminate to vehicles + machines could allow them to quickly communicate when there’s a problem or damage that needs attention.
The U.S. Army is certainly interested – they’re paying ~$1 million to apply the idea to military aircraft + to support further research. The magnetostrictive skin could tell a military maintenance technician if a component (like helicopter blades) is wearing out, cracking, or has taken a bullet. Parts can cost thousands of dollars, so knowing exactly when a replacement is needed could save a lot of money.
Deployment of this technology might be decades away, but the inventor hopes the tool can eventually reach airplanes + cars. The Army’s grant will go a long way in expanding a research team to get us there sooner.
