In a flash, an octopus can make like ragged-edged seaweed or coral by changing the color and texture of its skin, thus becoming nearly invisible in its environment. And in the future, robots may be able to pull off this seemingly magical camouflage trick as well.

Researchers have created a synthetic form of cephalopod skin that can transform from a flat, 2D surface to a three-dimensional one with bumps and pits, they report today (Oct. 12) in the journal Science. This technology could one day be used in soft robots, which are typically covered in a stretchy silicone "skin," the researchers said.

"Camouflaged robots may hide and be protected from animal attacks and may better approach animals for studying them in their natural habitats," Cecilia Laschi, a professor of biorobotics at the BioRobotics Institute of the Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies, in Pisa, Italy, wrote in an accompanying article in the current issue of Science. "Of course, camouflage may also support military applications, where reducing a robot's visibility provides it with advantages in accessing dangerous areas," wrote Laschi, who wasn't involved in the current study. [Biomimicry: 7 Clever Technologies Inspired by Nature]