Underwater robotics and diving equipment face a brutal reality: damage happens, power is hard to replace, and most sensors fail permanently when punctured. A single tear in an underwater electronic skin can end communication, navigation, and grip control—turning repair into an after-the-fact safety problem rather than an onboard capability.
Now, researchers at the National University of Singapore (NUS) have created a self-healing magnetoelectric sensory system (SMES) designed to sense touch and nearby objects while also detecting damage and repairing itself. The system is engineered as a layered structure that combines a top damage-sensing layer with an electromagnetic sensing layer, both built on a stretchable, self-healing elastomer infused with liquid-metal conductors.
The “pain sensing” concept is central. When the outer layer is pricked, punctured, or cut, its electrical resistance sharply increases, providing immediate electrical feedback that the material has been harmed. That same design enables recovery: the elastomer uses reversible molecular interactions so that once damaged surfaces are brought into contact again, the material reconnects and regains function. After needle-level injuries, performance returns within seconds; after more severe cuts, brief mechanical pressure initiates repair and full restoration follows over time.
Crucially, healing and sensing continue even underwater, where many materials struggle to re-bond. The elastomer achieves up to 92% elastic recovery and—after mild heating—can reach roughly 82% healing efficiency in air after seven days and nearly complete recovery in water after 10 days. Sensors retain damage detection and self-repair capabilities when fully submerged, an essential requirement for reliable marine operation.
SMES is also self-powered. Instead of relying on batteries, it generates electrical signals via electromagnetic induction: a magnet shifts relative to a liquid-metal coil when an object approaches or presses the sensor, inducing a voltage that supports both proximity sensing and tactile sensing. This approach reduces power dependence, a major advantage for long-duration underwater missions.
In tests, the system responded in about 41 milliseconds—fast enough for real-time control—and produced stable output across 10,000 cycles. Proximity sensing remained consistent after 10 days of underwater immersion, including in simulated seawater.
To prove real-world value, the team built two prototypes. A smart diving glove translates fingertip touch events into wireless gestures for underwater communication, while damage alerts can be displayed instantly via LEDs when severe punctures occur. A robotic hand integrates the SMES for underwater grasping and transport tasks, monitoring structural damage and recovering from punctures caused by sharp shell-like impacts.
Published in Advanced Materials on 18 April 2026, the technology points toward electronic skins and soft robotics that can autonomously recognize injury, begin healing immediately, and operate reliably in unpredictable aquatic environments—closer to living skin than conventional electronics.
Subject of Research:
Self-healing magnetoelectric sensor system for underwater soft electronics
Article Title:
A Self-Healing Magnetoelectric Sensor with Pain Sensing for Underwater Soft Electronics
News Publication Date:
18-Apr-2026
Web References:
https://advanced.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/adma.202523052
http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/adma.202523052
References:
10.1002/adma.202523052
Image Credits:
College of Design and Engineering, NUS
Keywords:
soft robotics, wearable devices, materials engineering, underwater electronics, self-healing sensors, magnetoelectric sensing, electronic skin, liquid-metal conductors
