Shanxi Securities released a research report stating that electronic skin, which endows humanoid robots with tactile perception, is crucial for their interactive capabilities. In the global competitive landscape, European, American, and Japanese firms dominate the high-end market due to first-mover advantages. The top five global flexible tactile sensor manufacturers are all overseas companies, collectively holding 57.1% of the market share. Domestic manufacturers are accelerating their efforts, narrowing the technological gap with foreign counterparts through policy support and manufacturing capabilities. Long-term projections suggest China's humanoid robot market could reach a scale of trillions, with electronic skin—a core component enabling tactile perception—expected to sustain rapid growth driven by rising demand for humanoid robots.
Key insights from Shanxi Securities include: 1. **Electronic Skin as a Critical Enabler**: Mimicking natural skin functions, electronic skin is a bionic flexible tactile sensor system capable of detecting pressure, temperature, and other stimuli. It finds applications in smart healthcare, control systems, and robotics. Technologically, it can be categorized into five types, with piezoresistive, capacitive, and piezoelectric being the most common. - *Piezoresistive sensors*: Simple structure, low cost, and suitable for basic pressure mapping and tactile feedback, making them the mainstream choice in humanoid robots (e.g., Tesla, Hanwei Technology, and Fule New Materials). - *Capacitive sensors*: High sensitivity, ideal for precision tactile sensing. - *Piezoelectric sensors*: Self-powered, suited for scenarios where frequent battery replacement is impractical. The choice among these hinges on balancing sensitivity, cost, and reliability, with multiple technologies likely to coexist long-term.
2. **Core Challenges**: - *Materials*: Require high flexibility, durability, sensitivity, and environmental adaptability. - *Manufacturing*: Complex, costly processes hinder large-scale deployment; low-cost, high-precision production is critical. - *Algorithms*: Multidimensional calibration (force, temperature, hardness) demands AI-assisted systems for accuracy.
3. **Future Trends**: - *Multimodal sensing*: Integrating diverse mechanisms for comprehensive stimulus response. - *Array-based designs*: Enabling large-area measurement through sensor unit arrays.
4. **Market Outlook**: - Global electronic skin market is projected to hit $756 million by 2030. While overseas players lead, Chinese firms like Fule New Materials and Hanwei Technology are gaining traction with industrial applications. - China’s humanoid robot market, still nascent, holds trillion-yuan potential, with electronic skin poised for sustained high growth.
5. **Key Companies**: - *Fule New Materials (605488.SH)*: Pilot production underway; "true flexibility + full curvature + 3D force" products lead the industry. - *Hanwei Technology (300007.SZ)*: Advanced in flexible piezoresistive/piezoelectric tech; expanding production capacity by H2 2025. - *Keli Sensing (603662.SH)*: Strategic investment in Yuansheng Tech for electronic skin R&D. - *Shenhao Tech (300853.SZ)*: Non-contact electronic skin for collision avoidance in robots. - *Jinghua New Materials (603683.SH)*: Subsidiary’s sensors enable precise touch/contour detection. - *Audiowell (920491.BJ)*: Developing tactile sensors for humanoid perception/execution.
**Risks**: Slow humanoid robot commercialization; R&D delays; inadequate policy support; rising material costs.
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