SEOUL, Sept 9 (Reuters) — South Korean researchers say they have developed an artificial skin-like material, inspired by natural biology, that can quickly adjust its hues like a chameleon to match its surroundings.
The team, led by Ko Seung-hwan, a mechanical engineering professor at Seoul National University, created the “skin” with a special ink that changes colour based on temperature and is controlled by tiny, flexible heaters.
“If you wear woodland camouflage uniforms in desert, you can be easily exposed,” Ko told Reuters. “Changing colours and patterns actively in accordance with surroundings is key to the camouflage technology that we created.”