Scientists Develop New Camouflage Technologies Inspired By Octopus Skins (Video)

August 21, 2014

And in sci-fi-superpowers-made-real news, humanity likely took its biggest recent step toward real cloaking/camo. And it’s actually along the lines of something posted here earlier. Scientists studied the instant camo technique of octopi…and learned!

Scientists have developed a color-changing device inspired by octopuses and their natural camouflaging techniques.

The research, carried out at the University of Houston and University of Illinois at Urbanaâ€“Champaign, looked at how the skins of octopuses, squid and cuttlefish can change color so rapidly. From there, researchers were able to design a heat-sensitive sheet that quickly changes color when detecting light.

At room temperature the flexible sheet is black. Once the deviceâ€™s top layer, which contains a heat-sensitive dye, detects light it becomes transparent.

Hey, it’s not like anyone will be going Zartan (G.I. Joe) or Sue Storm (Fantastic Four) anytime soon; but this is a big step forward in that direction. Get the gist above. Peruse more info below.

MORE: OCTOPUS SKIN HAS INSPIRED NEW TYPE OF CAMO (TIME)
EARLIER: OCTOPUS IS A MASTER OF DISGUISE (JAYFORCE)