VOA慢速英语2021--韩国研究人员制造出类似动物的“皮肤”

South Korean Researchers Make Animal-Like ‘Skin’

South Korean researchers say they have developed a skin-like material that behaves like the skin of a chameleon¹. It can change colors to look like its surroundings.

The team was led by Ko Seung-hwan, a mechanical engineering professor at Seoul National University. The team created the skin with a special liquid that turns colors in different temperatures. These changes are controlled by flexible heaters made of very small wires.

If you are in a desert, and you wear forest-colored clothing, you can easily be seen, Ko told Reuters news agency. Changing colors and forms actively² with your surroundings is central to the technology, Ko said.

The technology uses something called thermochromic liquid crystal and silver nanowire heaters. Thermochromic means heat causes the colors to change. Nanowires are just like normal electrical wires, but they are extremely small.

Ko and the team demonstrated this technology using a chameleon-shaped robot with color-seeking sensors⁴. The skin tried to copy whatever colors the sensors "saw" around it.

In a video, the robot walked on red, blue and green floors. It immediately changed color to look like its surroundings.

Ko explained to Reuters how the material works. He said when the sensors find color information, they move that information to a very small processor. Then, the information goes to silver nanowire heaters.

When the heaters reach a specified⁵ temperature, the thermochromic liquid crystal changes its color, Ko said.

Though the skin is made of many layers, its total thickness is less than a hundred micrometers. In other words, it is thinner than a human hair. By adding more silver nanowire layers in simple shapes like lines or squares, the skin can create complex designs.

"The flexible skin can be developed as a wearable device and used for fashion," Ko said. It can also be used in military clothing and to create designs on the outside of cars and buildings, he said.

The team's research was published in the journal Nature Communications in August.

Words in This Story

Chameleon – n. a type of lizard⁶ that can change the color of its skin to look like the colors that are around it

Flexible – adj. capable of bending or being bent⁷

Crystal – n. a special type of glass that is very clear

Specify⁸ – adj. named or mentioned exactly and clearly

Sensor³ – n. a device that detects or senses heat, light, sound, motion, etc., and then reacts to it in a particular way

Layer – n. a covering piece of material or a part that lies over or under another

Fashion – n. a popular way of dressing during a particular time or among a particular group of people

1 chameleon   

n.变色龙，蜥蜴；善变之人

参考例句：

• The chameleon changes colour to match its surroundings.变色龙变换颜色以适应环境。
• The chameleon can take on the colour of its background.变色龙可呈现出与其背景相同的颜色。

2 actively   

adv.积极地，勤奋地

参考例句：

• During this period all the students were actively participating.在这节课中所有的学生都积极参加。
• We are actively intervening to settle a quarrel.我们正在积极调解争执。

3 sensor   

n.传感器，探测设备，感觉器（官）

参考例句：

• The temperature sensor is enclosed in a protective well.温度传感器密封在保护套管中。
• He plugged the sensor into a outlet.他把传感器插进电源插座。

4 sensors   

n.传感器，灵敏元件( sensor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• There were more than 2000 sensors here. 这里装有两千多个灵敏元件。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Significant changes have been noted where sensors were exposed to trichloride. 当传感器暴露在三氯化物中时，有很大变化。 来自辞典例句

5 specified   

adj.特定的

参考例句：

• The architect specified oak for the wood trim. 那位建筑师指定用橡木做木饰条。
• It is generated by some specified means. 这是由某些未加说明的方法产生的。

6 lizard   

n.蜥蜴，壁虎

参考例句：

• A chameleon is a kind of lizard.变色龙是一种蜥蜴。
• The lizard darted out its tongue at the insect.蜥蜴伸出舌头去吃小昆虫。

7 bent   

n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的

参考例句：

• He was fully bent upon the project.他一心扑在这项计划上。
• We bent over backward to help them.我们尽了最大努力帮助他们。

8 specify   

vt.指定，详细说明

参考例句：

• We should specify a time and a place for the meeting.我们应指定会议的时间和地点。
• Please specify what you will do.请你详述一下你将做什么。