Flexible robots that can change color

BBC : Inspired by the varied body types and camouflage skills of sea creatures, researchers at Harvard University have designed a flexible robot capable of blending in with or standing out from its surroundings. The multilegged prototypes have a rubbery, silicon body covered in a network of tiny channels. Various fluids, which help control the robot’s movements and alter its color and temperature, can be pumped through the channels. The devices have a number of potential uses, including in medicine because they could simulate the look and feel of organs for practicing surgeons, or in search and rescue efforts because they are inexpensive to manufacture and can be made to stand out from their surroundings.