Chinese companies are moving robot skin from small-scale laboratory production toward mass manufacturing as demand from humanoid robot makers grows. Products range from specialized clothing that dissipates heat, prevents static electricity and cushions impacts to flexible pressure sensors that help robots control their grip.

One manufacturer says its electronic skin can also generate heat, allowing a robot's hand to feel warm during a handshake. A textile company received 13,000 orders in June, while another supplier said it had delivered more than 40,000 units, many of them ordered in the past six months.