A team of researchers from the University of Michigan (USA) has developed a material that could become the perfect camouflage of the future as it changes color and shape depending on the light.
As if it were a chameleon, the new material made of indium-tin oxide (a material commonly used in the manufacture of lampshades), is capable of generating shapes that adapt to light thanks to the solution of a special type of crystals that cover said material .
How does it work? Very simple. When receiving light, negative or positive charges are created on the metal sheet that only move the particles away or attract , causing a visual change on its surface. "We can apply light to a certain region and the particles create a crystalline area where they all clump together to form this crystal structure," explains Youngri Kim, leader of the study.
The work, which has been published in the journal Nature Communications , is a milestone in camouflage materials , since it is the first time that it does not need previously established patterns or shapes, but rather imitates the shape of light, becoming an active camouflage that could be used in vehicles, clothing or technology in general. Precisely the most logical and closest use for this new material could be on the screens of smartphones so that they automatically adjust the contrast of the screen according to the light they receive.
