# Event-Driven E-Skins Protect Both Robots and Humans

- Show: [EE Times Current](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ee-times-current)
- Published: 2025-07-08
- Length: 47m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ee-times-current/2025-07-08-event-driven-e-skins-protect-both-robots-and-humans
- Listen: https://podcast.show/aspencore/episode/146871888/

## Summary

Professor Gordon Cheng of the Technical University of Munich explains his development of event-driven e-skins for humanoid robots, using off-the-shelf sensors to create a low-power, autonomous touch system that improves safety and enables brain-machine interface applications. He discusses the challenges of scaling sensor data, the move from conventional control to neuromorphic event-based processing, and the potential for sensory substitution in prosthetics. The episode also features commentary from Dr. Giulia D’Angelo and Professor Ralph Etienne-Cummings on the definition of neuromorphic engineering and the current state of the industry.

## Chapters

- [0:02](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ee-times-current/2025-07-08-event-driven-e-skins-protect-both-robots-and-humans#t=2) Introduction: Gordon Cheng and the History of Touch in Robotics
- [9:23](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ee-times-current/2025-07-08-event-driven-e-skins-protect-both-robots-and-humans#t=563) Designing the E-Skin: Off-the-Shelf Sensors and Hexagonal Patches
- [17:02](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ee-times-current/2025-07-08-event-driven-e-skins-protect-both-robots-and-humans#t=1022) Calibration and Spatial Mapping via Motor Babbling
- [18:38](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ee-times-current/2025-07-08-event-driven-e-skins-protect-both-robots-and-humans#t=1118) Neuromorphic Processing and the Case for Event-Driven Systems
- [22:04](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ee-times-current/2025-07-08-event-driven-e-skins-protect-both-robots-and-humans#t=1324) Brain-Machine Interfaces and Sensory Substitution for Prosthetics
- [29:54](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ee-times-current/2025-07-08-event-driven-e-skins-protect-both-robots-and-humans#t=1794) Commentary: Defining Neuromorphic Engineering and Industry Trends

## Topics

- [Sensors & measurement in products](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/sensors)
- [Embedded firmware](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/embedded-firmware)
- [Robotics & autonomy](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/robotics-and-autonomy)
- [Medical & health devices](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/medical-devices)
- [AI & machine learning](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/ai-and-machine-learning)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Technical University of Munich (company)
- Intel (company)
- Johns Hopkins University (company)
- University College London (company)
- Czech Technical University in Prague (company)
- iCub (product)
- RP 2009 (product)
- BrainChip (company)
- Blue Mind (company)
- Prophecy (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Bonus Episode: Giving robots the power of human touch](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk/2026-09-21-bonus-episode-giving-robots-the-power-of-human-touch) (Robot Talk)
- [63. Immune System Inspired AI & Electric Skin](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-next-byte-podcast/2022-03-29-63-immune-system-inspired-ai-electric-skin) (The Next Byte Podcast)
- [Episode 118: Soft robotics and electronic skin - Miranda Lowther](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk/2025-04-25-episode-118-soft-robotics-and-electronic-skin-miranda-lowther) (Robot Talk)
- [Episode Twenty-Seven: Simon Wanstall](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk/2022-11-25-episode-twenty-seven-simon-wanstall) (Robot Talk)
- [Episode Four - Robot Senses: perceiving the world](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk/2021-01-29-episode-four-robot-senses-perceiving-the-world) (Robot Talk)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ee-times-current/2025-07-08-event-driven-e-skins-protect-both-robots-and-humans. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to EE Times Current.