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Plastic That Changes Shape In Light

Posted by Zonk on from the i'm-liquid-metal dept.

JLavezzo writes "Picture a flower that opens when facing the sunlight. In work that mimics that sensitivity to light, MIT Engineer Robert Langer and his German colleagues have created the first plastics that can be deformed and temporarily fixed into shape by light. This material could one day lead to medical devices that build themselves inside a patient's body, or door latches that can be opened with a flashlight. Additional commentary available at The Science Blog"

2 of 123 comments (clear)

  1. doors? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Why would you want a door that opens to light?

    1. Re:doors? by BobPaul · · Score: 2, Insightful

      The plastic only reacts to certain frequencies, and this is better than an electronic solution since it'll work when the power's out.

      It won't automatically open the door when the sun shines on it...

      Anyway, the door thing really just sounds like a semi-cool idea, not anything really marketable or practical...