Octopuses and squids swim in the ocean and change their skin color to escape when they encounter a predator. The skin of these cephalopods contains small pockets filled with natural pigments called chromatophores. When a threat appears, these cells expand or contract to adjust the color. Recently, scientists in the United States developed artificial skin that mimics the skin of squids and octopuses.

A research team led by Professor Steve Marin at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln announced on the 17th (local time) that they have developed a material for artificial skin that changes color in response to surrounding stimuli, similar to the skin of marine organisms such as squids and octopuses. This research was also featured in the international journal Advanced Materials on the 24th of last month.

Recently, scientists have been focusing on biomimicry technology that applies principles from nature to solve complex problems. Artificial skin developed from inspiration drawn from marine creatures like squids and octopuses is a representative example of this.

Researcher Brennan Watts from the Department of Chemistry at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Professor Steven Marin are examining samples under a microscope. /Liz McCue, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

The artificial skin material developed by the research team mimics the principle by which cephalopods, a type of marine creature, change their skin color and patterns. There is hope that it will be possible to create artificial skin that reacts automatically to surrounding stimuli without needing external power or pressure.

The research team developed synthetic skin arranged with micro-actuators that function similarly to chromatophores found in squid and octopus skin. Made of elastic polymer compounds, this artificial chromatophore changes color in response to various external stimuli, including heat.

The fact that it can operate without the need for external power supplies makes it a strong competitor in the field of soft robotics. It is expected to be widely used as a wearable display, eliminating the need for rigid screens or power-hungry electronic devices. The research team believes this technology could replace existing displays in fields that require flexibility and waterproof capabilities.

The process of manufacturing elastomer (a polymer material with elasticity) combined microgel arrays that mimic the color-changing mechanism and mechanical optical capabilities of cephalopods. a) Dynamic color and patterns are controlled by the expansion or contraction of pigment-containing chromatophores. b) Individual chromatophore organs are regulated through muscle fibers and nerve signals. c) Microscopic hydrogel optical microscopy images that dynamically expand or contract in response to the environment and regulate the surface filling ratio. The inset shows the macroscopic perspective of the array. d) Optical cross-sections of individual microgels in an expanded or contracted state beyond the lower critical solution temperature (LCST) in response to thermal stimulus. e) The manufacturing process of the array: 1. Filling of the desired prepolymer solution, 2. Micromolding to create the desired array and microgel geometric structure, 3. Photopolymerization of the microgel structure from an elastomeric support, 4. The artificial chromatophore array (left) and an enlarged view of the chromatophores when filled with cationic pigment (right).

Professor Marin noted, "Imagine how quickly and dynamically octopuses and squids change the color of their bodies and escape," adding, "The new artificial skin technology is expected to open up interesting opportunities in the fields of soft robotics and new types of human-machine interfaces."

Artificial chromatophores can have preset colors that respond to various stimuli such as heat, light, humidity, and pH (hydrogen ion concentration index). Utilizing these characteristics could be beneficial in developing wearable sensors that monitor multiple environmental variables simultaneously.

Professor Marin stated, "It is difficult to measure temperature, humidity, and acidity simultaneously with existing technology," adding, "One of the advantages of this newly developed material is that it can fine-tune its chemical properties in various environments, especially in humid or underwater settings where electronic devices are prone to malfunction, and can create materials that respond to very specific stimuli."

The artificial skin technology inspired by the skin of octopuses and squids has recently emerged as a hot research topic among scientists. The research team at Northeastern University in the United States revealed that they developed paint that changes color in response to external light stimuli using natural pigments found in cephalopod chromatophores, which was published in the international journal Advanced Science in 2023.

Technology that mimics chameleons, which change their skin color in a different way from squids and octopuses, is also being developed. Researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences introduced last year electronic skin that mimics the skin structure of chameleons using liquid metal particles and colloids. This electronic skin is praised for its excellent elasticity and potential applications in wearable sensors, intelligent robots, and health monitoring.

References

Advanced Materials (2025), DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.202505104

Advanced Functional Materials (2024), DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.202412703

Advanced Science (2023), DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/advs.202302652