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Camouflage and display for soft machines.

Stephen A Morin¹, Robert F Shepherd, Sen Wai Kwok

¹Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, 12 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.

Science (New York, N.Y.)

|August 21, 2012

Summary

Researchers developed soft machines with microfluidic networks that mimic animal color-changing abilities. These machines can alter color, contrast, and temperature for camouflage and display, even in infrared spectrums.

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Area of Science:

Biomimetic engineering
Soft robotics
Microfluidics

Background:

Synthetic systems struggle to replicate the dynamic color-changing capabilities observed in animals like cephalopods.
Soft machines, constructed from flexible polymers and reinforcing sheets, are advancing in functionality and potential applications.
Existing technologies lack the ability to simultaneously alter visible and infrared properties for advanced camouflage.

Purpose of the Study:

To engineer soft machines capable of mimicking the color-changing functions of animals.
To develop microfluidic networks for dynamic control over machine appearance and thermal properties.
To enable simultaneous color and temperature modulation for camouflage and display applications.

Main Methods:

Fabrication of soft machines using soft polymers and flexible reinforcing sheets.
Integration of simple microfluidic networks within the soft machine architecture.
Control of fluid flow and composition within microfluidics to alter optical and thermal properties.

Main Results:

Demonstrated control over color, contrast, pattern, apparent shape, luminescence, and surface temperature of soft machines.
Achieved simultaneous color change in both visible and infrared spectra, a novel capability.
Successfully utilized these soft machines for camouflage and display purposes.

Conclusions:

Microfluidic networks offer a viable strategy for creating functional, color-changing soft machines.
The developed technology imitates the functional aspects of animal camouflage, including simultaneous visible and infrared modulation.
This approach represents a significant step towards advanced biomimetic soft machines for diverse applications.