Inspired by the wondrous reptile known as the chameleon, engineers at the Wuhan University in China designed a 3D-printed robot that’s able to change its color to match its surroundings. The idea behind the creation, according to the researchers, is to aid in the development of camouflage for military purposes.
The chameleon robot changes colors to match its background. Image source: Youtube.
Covered in plasmonic displays, the robot is able to produce colors by using interactions between nanoscale structures and electric fields, allowing it to blend into its environment. Light sensors recognize the background color, which is translated to the correct reaction.
“The key to this biomimetic technology is realizing electrically driven actuation of broad reflection bands, which may be partially enabled by some of the existing ‘e-paper’ or 'e-chem' display approaches, including electrophoretic, cholesteric liquid crystalline, and electrowetting,” the researchers wrote.
So far, the chameleon bot only works against green, blue, and red backgrounds, so invisibility cloaks won’t be a reality just yet. A more technically advanced detection system would allow for entire color patterns, and eventually fully merge the mechanical chameleon within its surrounding environment.
To see the little bot in action, check out the video below.
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