Wouldn’t it be fun to have a single pair of glasses with lenses that can be transparent or dark, and in shades of yellow, green or purple, all on command?
Such color-changing glasses may soon be a reality thanks to a new lens with chameleon powers developed by scientists at Washington University in Seattle.
Chunye Xu, University of Washington
The glasses use “smart” plastics that change colour are made of a new material uniquely suited to the task: a low-cost sheet that changes color and shade using almost no power.
Chunye Xu, research assistant professor of mechanical engineering at the University of Washington and her collaborators on the project have a number of patents filed on the technology.
They are also exploring options for commercial applications but it will be a few years before these colorful glasses are available in stores.
“These are a little homemade,” Xu said of the prototype in an interview with uwnews.com, a modified pair of lab goggles. She plans to incorporate the lenses in more fashionable frames.
