Cuttlefish Inspired Flat Screens

Researchers at MIT are using biomimicry to create TV screens that use dramatically less energy than existing models. Using the camouflaging techniques deployed by cuttlefish as a model, the MIT group has been able to power these displays with less than  0.01% of the power used by conventional screens.

Ecofriend explains:

The researchers stated that cuttlefish change their appearance in a few seconds by secreting special chemicals to alter the spacing between their membranes. This low-energy technique seen in cuttlefish has been mimicked by the researchers to develop low-power displays.

These researchers have developed a prototype screen that is several inches across but only one micron thick. This narrow space is crammed with polystyrene layers that mimic the layers of a cuttlefish. When no current is applied the screen remains clear, but as the voltage increases, the poly-2 membrane expands while reflecting incident light. Since the poly layers expand according to the voltage applied, the display reflects different color at different voltages.

Ecofriend: “Eco Tech: Cuttlefish-inspired MIT researchers develop low-power displays”