Objects Can Now Change Colors Like a Chameleon (techxplore.com) 21
The color-changing capabilities of chameleons have long bewildered willing observers. While humans can't yet camouflage much beyond a green outfit to match grass, inanimate objects are another story. From a report: A team from MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) has brought us closer to this chameleon reality, by way of a new system that uses reprogrammable ink to let objects change colors when exposed to ultraviolet (UV) and visible light sources. Dubbed "PhotoChromeleon," the system uses a mix of photochromic dyes that can be sprayed or painted onto the surface of any object to change its color -- a fully reversible process that can be repeated infinitely. PhotoChromeleon can be used to customize anything from a phone case to a car, or shoes that need an update. The color remains, even when used in natural environments. "This special type of dye could enable a whole myriad of customization options that could improve manufacturing efficiency and reduce overall waste," says CSAIL postdoc Yuhua Jin, the lead author on a new paper about the project. "Users could personalize their belongings and appearance on a daily basis, without the need to buy the same object multiple times in different colors and styles."
PhotoChromeleon builds off of the team's previous system, "ColorMod," which uses a 3-D printer to fabricate items that can change their color. Frustrated by some of the limitations of this project, such as small color scheme and low-resolution results, the team decided to investigate potential updates. With ColorMod, each pixel on an object needed to be printed, so the resolution of each tiny little square was somewhat grainy. As far as colors, each pixel of the object could only have two states: transparent and its own color. So, a blue dye could only go from blue to transparent when activated, and a yellow dye could only show yellow. But with PhotoChromeleon's ink, you can create anything from a zebra pattern to a sweeping landscape to multicolored fire flames, with a larger host of colors.
PhotoChromeleon builds off of the team's previous system, "ColorMod," which uses a 3-D printer to fabricate items that can change their color. Frustrated by some of the limitations of this project, such as small color scheme and low-resolution results, the team decided to investigate potential updates. With ColorMod, each pixel on an object needed to be printed, so the resolution of each tiny little square was somewhat grainy. As far as colors, each pixel of the object could only have two states: transparent and its own color. So, a blue dye could only go from blue to transparent when activated, and a yellow dye could only show yellow. But with PhotoChromeleon's ink, you can create anything from a zebra pattern to a sweeping landscape to multicolored fire flames, with a larger host of colors.
Nonsense (Score:2)
Unwilling observers, OTOH, are not bewildered. Go figure.
MIT CSAIL announces.... (Score:2)
MIT CSAIL announces a high throughput press release engine generated by AI using buzzword word bag to dress up mundane accomplishments.
WTF MIT?
And hey, how's the Food Computer working for ya?
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Epstein stopped running the show over there, it's all falling apart.
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A Food Computer program requires sexually energized donators and compliant officials. There might be some kind of systemic error, we'll get back to you on any findings.
Pojos? (Score:1)
positive feedback loop (Score:2)
I put on chameleon on a blanket of this stuff, programmed the blanket to match the chameleon, and two colorful minutes later the chameleon exploded!!
Total recall (1992) (Score:2)
Can finally get those color changing nails https://www.youtube.com/watch?... [youtube.com]
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First thing I thought of too!
I don't get it (Score:2)
Photochromic dyes have been around forever and they work by exposing them to UV light. They are fully reversible and changeable. Not sure what is novel here, but I must be missing something. Also, why is this coming from a CS/AI lab?
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Yeah, I’m missing it too. Describing it as changing colors by applying ink makes it sound no different than any other sort of ink or paint.
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These are "photochromic dyes that can be sprayed or painted onto the surface of any object to change its color", and which can repeatedly change to any color and pattern they're exposed to.
The novelty seems to be the combination of those properties, an improvement over photochromic objects that are pre-printed and can change only between established colors.
Heh heh heh (Score:2)
I'd put this color-changing stuff on my car, mostly so there would be conflicting eyewitness reports.
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I would put a kink in those car chase videos in you tube.
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Chameleon (Score:2)
"Objects Can Now Change Colors Like a Chameleon"
You mean only very slightly and based on their mood?
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Well, I had 7 tokay (big geckos) in my house in Thailand.
They certainly change by "mood".
Not sure if I have 5 or 6 at the moment, I counted 5, and found one dead ... they like me, but they are hiding nevertheless. To make a solid count you have to find all of them same time.
At least three of the females changed colour to match the/one male one ... not the environment (a blueish/greenish turquoise colour with random spots of other colours). One (the biggest) keeps his colour adjusted to the colour of the woo
to be truley camouflaged (Score:1)
So (Score:3)