A scarf that changes color

According to a brief article from New Scientist, Japanese researchers from Keio University have made a chameleon scarf which changes color according with what you wear. Put a green jacket, and the scarf will turn green. Add a blue coat, and the shawl will glow blue. This chameleon scarf incorporates optical fibers and light-emitting diodes (LEDs) able to render more than 4,000 colors. So far, this scarf has only been demonstrated at computer fashion shows, so don't rush to your shopping mall to grab one.

Interwoven into the scarf material are pixels containing red, blue and green light-emitting diodes (LEDs), so adjusting the brightness of each type of diode turns the scarf a different overall shade. A small sensor embedded in the garment also enables it to identify the colour of the nearest item of clothing. A microcomputer then selects a suitable colour for the scarf itself to adopt.

Source: newscientist.comAdded: 7 January 2006