According to a new paper published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, an international research consortium have engineered an “adaptive optoelectronic camouflage system” that takes its cues from the cuttlefish.
Built, in part, by the ever-busy Rogers Research Group at the University of Illinois, the new camouflage is a sandwich of thin, pixelated layers, each of which serves its own purpose. The uppermost layer, which is filled with opaque black dye, responds to slight changes in temperature by increasing its opacity. Sitting below that layer is a layer of reflective silver, and beneath that lays an array of silicon diodes that heat up as current courses across them. To finish off its construction engineers placed an insulating layer of silicone in-between the first three layers and the final sheet of thin silicon photodetectors.
While it is built from complex layers of electronics and insulators, the new camouflage acts in a decidedly simple manner. Once light strikes one of its photodetectors, the diode above it heats up causing the forward-facing dye to shift its opacity. As ambient light penetrates the dye layer the material’s silver backstop reflects incoming light, giving the material a stark, high-contrast look.
Though the US Navy sponsored this groundbreaking camo research, researchers say there are a myriad of civilian applications that could use the technology. Interior designs, window shades and any number of light sensitive applications could leverage the new camouflage technique to make houses more efficient and more alluring.
What’s more, if an optoelectronic skin can be slapped on any surface it stands to reason that advertisement-laden arenas like NASCAR and F1 events, or even clothing such as soccer jerseys, could be equipped with on-demand advertisements optimized to the moment.
While it will still be a while before Rogers’ optoelectric camo makes it onto a Navy vessel the number of applications it could fit will continue to grow. As data becomes ever more woven into our environment, an adaptive, quick responding display might be tailor-made for the fabrics and surfaces of the future.
Watch a Video of Cuttlefish Camo in Action:
Video Courtesy of KPBS