Since long, the ability of some octopus and squid species to mix up with their surroundings by altering their skin texture and color has been enthralling scientists. The trait lets the creatures use a natural form of three-dimensional morphing well to hide themselves from prey and attackers.

Graduate students at Cornell University in New York published a study in the journal Science wherein they explained how they managed to use the concept of glowing octopus skin in the development of an artificial version possessing the ability to stretch a number of times its real size and even emit light.

For creating the new glowing skin technology, the researchers used a device called a hyper-elastic light-emitting capacitor (HLEC). HLEC is composed of a pair of ionic, hydrogel electrodes, embedded in a silicone matrix. HLEC possesses better stretch ability in comparison to other light emitters made of organic semiconductors.

The electroluminescent skin has received the color-changing feature from the matrix, containing zinc sulfide and various types of transition metals. The metals can produce different wavelengths whenever they get electric currents’ exposure, like yellow light in the case of magnesium and copper for blue light.

The capacitors' layout has plate-like design which lets them function as some form of actuation sensors that can detect deformations on the artificial skin led by stretching or pressure.

Researchers at Cornell have tested their new electroluminescent skin by putting it over a simple three-chamber soft robot. There were inflatable layers placed on the bottom of the robot that allowed it to move. Every time linear expansion of the robot's chambers takes place, the device wiggles forward, much like the movement of a worm.