Experts from Seoul National University have developed a material that can change color depending on the environment. This is reported by the journal Nature Communications.
For a visual demonstration, scientists created a chameleon robot with a camouflage coating on its plastic case. Artificial leather is a flexible display made up of liquid crystal layers that change color depending on temperature. There are also multiple layers with silver nanowire heating elements. Moreover, the thickness of the material is less than a human hair.
When the robot moves, special sensors analyze the shade and surface pattern. The received information is transmitted to the microprocessor. The nanowire network then heats up the liquid crystals to take on the desired color.
According to the researchers, recently there has been a growing interest in adaptive camouflage technologies, so the development will be useful in the military field and for creating clothing for hunting. It can also find applications in architecture, fashion and art.
In 2018, an international team of scientists, together with colleagues from Moscow State University, announced the creation of a synthetic analogue of chameleon skin. The material reacts to mechanical stress by changing its strength properties and color.
