It has been noted for several years that one area where humanoid robots are lacking is skin tone

Really? First I heard of this 'problem'. Robots have been lacking all kinds of things, but skin tone has never struck me as particularly critical.

which means that robots need skin replacement if it gets damaged or accidentally colored in undesirable ways.

OK - not knocking this research (which is five kinds of awesome)..but how exactly does this solve the 'accidentally colored' issue?

..but how exactly does this solve the 'accidentally colored' issue?
Robot goes out with friends, drinks too much, passes out, then wakes up with marker-drawn anatomy lessons on his face. LOL

Evidently unrealistic skin tone has long been known to contribute to the "uncanny valley" that alienates natural people from artifical ones:

https://books.goo...color%22
https://www.googl...n+color"

antialias_physorg:
Really?

then wakes up with marker-drawn anatomy lessons on his face

What..like a 9-pin male Sub-D port?