A system for detecting a living being using electric fields may include sensors configured to generate and receive an electric field. The system may include at least one amplifier connected to at least one electrode of a sensor, a controller to operate the sensors, and a processor connected to the controller. The processor may output a signal representative of the presence or absence of a living being present in the electric fields or representative of a distance between the sensor and the living being. The sensors may be attached to a rigid or flexible substrate forming part of a skin that can be attached to a robot, a vehicle, or another moving or autonomous device to sense the presence of a living being near the device. The device may be configured to stop moving or to move to avoid the living being in the electric field.
