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A new glowing skin technology inspired by octopuses could pave the way for an era of chameleon-like robots capable of changing colour according to their surroundings.

Graduate students at Cornell University in New York have developed a highly stretchable artificial skin that can change colour in the same way some octopus can in order to hide themselves.

The team stretched the skin over a worm-shaped "soft robot" and observed the machine move freely while changing colour in accordance with internal and external stimuli.

Theoretically, the breakthrough could pave the way for a whole new era of interactive robotics, and may bring significant benefits to the health, electronics and communications industries, among other fields.

(Image: Youtube / Cornell University Media Relations)

The study, published in Science, suggests the discovery could lead to the development of "mood" robots, which could be used in the medical industry to display a patient's temperature, pulse and even emotions.

Project leader Rob Shepherd, Cornell's assistant professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering said: “It allows robots to change their color, and it also allows displays to change their shape.

"Why is that important? For one thing, when robots become more and more a part of our lives, the ability for them to have emotional connection with us will be important.

"So to be able to change their color in response to mood or the tone of the room we believe is going to be important for human-robot interactions."

(Image: Youtube / Cornell University Media Relations)

Chris Larson, one of the graduates who worked on the project, told the Cornell Chronicle the material could be used in the next generation of wearable technology that would fully conform to the shape of the wearer.

“You could have a rubber band that goes around your arm that also displays information,” he said.

“You could be in a meeting and have a rubber band-like device on your arm and could be checking your email. That’s obviously in the future, but that’s the direction we’re looking in.”