As robots are gradually becoming a part of our society, researchers are experimenting with a variety of unique technologies to make them more sophisticated. So recently, a team of experts in artificial camouflage technology has developed a chameleon-like skin for robots that instantly changes color in response to environmental temperature.
The unique robot skin was developed by researchers at Seoul National University in South Korea and was recently published in the Nature Communications Journal. They used a color sensor, Miniature heater made of silver nanowires, And a thermochromic material that mimics the iridfore layer of chameleon skin, which allows reptiles to change their color.
Previous experiments with artificial camouflage relied on microfluidic devices that used small channels to control fluid flow, but researchers have found that they are completely electrical to build color-changing skin. I took an approach. They used the resources mentioned above to recreate some high-resolution skin patterns that allow robots to seamlessly transition between different colors from red to blue almost instantly.
According to Sunfanko, a professor of thermal engineering at Seoul National University, the most difficult part of the project was to bring the rate of color change back to its natural rate. However, this problem was solved by using a nanowire heater that heats very quickly. So, with a nanowire heater, Artificial skin changed color at the same rate as chameleon skin.. The actual operation is as follows.
Researchers say they were initially thinking of modeling robots by modeling invertebrates such as octopuses and squids. However, due to technical issues, the team decided to use a robot based on the chameleon itself.
For these artificial color-changing skin applications, researchers have found that previous camouflage technology has been used for military purposes, but recent developments can have significant implications for transportation, fashion and cosmetology. It states that there is. In the future, this color-changing technology will also be applicable to automobiles and clothing.
“This chameleon skin, surface is basically a kind of display. It can be used for soft, elastic or flexible displays.” Funko says.
In addition, according to an assistant professor at Purdue University Ramzes Martinez, the technology can also be used to develop other biologically inspired systems. This could lead to more possibilities and dedicated systems for finding survivors after an earthquake.
Currently, artificial camouflage skin technology has made considerable progress, but it depends only on the temperature of the environment. Therefore, it does not actually work well in harsh temperatures such as extreme cold.
So, in the future, you may be able to see cars and clothes that change color in shops and streets. But the technology is still in its infancy, so the day may be much farther than you think.
