Octopus skin not only changes color, but also changes texture. Photo credit: MuhammadSalaar/Shutterstock
Octopuses and squid can change both the color and texture of their skin in seconds, a change that no artificial material can convincingly produce. Researchers at Stanford University have developed a soft synthetic material that behaves surprisingly similarly. Scientists are interested in more than just camouflage.
What does this new material actually do?
The material is a flexible polymer film that swells when it absorbs water. As it expands, its surface takes on small shapes and patterns, and at the same time changes color. These changes occur in seconds at a scale finer than a human hair, and the surface behaves more like living skin than traditional synthetic materials.
Why octopus skin is important to scientists
Octopus skin not only changes color, but also changes texture, creating ridges and ridges that help with camouflage and interaction with the environment. Until now, most synthetic materials were only able to mimic color changes. This new approach allows researchers to control both surface texture and color simultaneously, which is important for realistic camouflage and haptic feedback.
How did researchers achieve this?
The researchers used a high-precision technique called electron beam patterning on the water-absorbing polymer. By controlling how different areas of the film react to moisture, they created hidden patterns that only appear when the material is wet. When dry, the surface will be flat. When hydrated, complex shapes and colors appear, which can be reset later.
How is it different from existing materials?
Most color-changing materials rely on pigments or electronics. This material uses light interference at the nanoscale to change color through its physical structure. This enables effects ranging from glossy to matte finishes, as well as detailed color patterns that cannot be reproduced on current screens.
where this can be used
Researchers say the technology could improve dynamic camouflage in robotics and wearable materials. It could also be used in prosthetics, where surface texture affects grip and comfort, and in bioengineering, where small surface changes can affect cell behavior. Artists are already experimenting with it as a new visual medium.
What this doesn’t mean
This doesn’t mean we’ll see life-like artificial skin for humans. It focuses on functionality, sensing, and interaction rather than copying human appearance. This material is a tool for communication between an object and its environment, not a biological skin replacement.
By studying how octopus skin works rather than what it looks like, scientists are learning how to give the material new ways to react, adapt, and communicate. The result is a step toward smarter surfaces that respond to the world in real time, rather than imitations for their own sake.
