New Active Camouflage Can Mimic any Shape

Apr-26-14 Researchers have developed a material that changes shape and color when exposed to different wavelengths of light—setting the stage for a new generation of active camouflage.

The material, created by a team from the University of Michigan, was inspired by the way chameleons will change color based on their surroundings. The material is made of a sheet of indium tin oxide, typically used in computer displays, that has been coated with a new crystal solution created by the research team. When light hits the crystal layer, an electrical charge is created on the metallic sheet that draws or repels the crystals particles. Although similar materials have been developed before, they could only from predetermined shapes; the new material, in contrast, can mimic the shape of the light that hits it.

The material could have applications as active camouflage or in mobile device displays.

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[GIZMODO.COM]
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