By combining carbon nanotubes with a specially designed polymer, researchers are making a material that looks, feels, and functions like human skin, able to send heat and pressure signals.

The project is part of DARPA’s Revolutionizing Prosthetics program, which aims to build by 2010 a strong, lightweight mechanical arm that can touch and feel just like the real thing, send signals to amputees’ brains, and respond to direct brain control.