From clothing to cars, what applications for chameleon-like color-changing technology?

Researchers at Seoul National University in South Korea have developed a new type of artificial skin that changes color in response to changes in ambient temperature. This discovery could one day find practical applications in the creation of clothing or objects that react instantly to temperature changes.

This invention takes the form of an artificial skin on which a thin layer of liquid crystals change color in response to temperature changes. This skin can also be made to change color to mimic its surroundings. The technology could contribute to profoundly transforming the future of clothing design.

Indeed, beyond the technological prowess, it is above all the practical applications that could result from the discovery that are interesting. One aim would be to design clothes that change color depending on the temperature. But the applications of such technology are almost endless, whether for clothing, car bodies or phone cases.

The scientists' findings are published in the journal Nature.

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