Adorable Tape Measure designed to look like a chameleon with an extending tongue is a great example of nature-inspired design

Animated movies have been my escapism since childhood – and Johnny Depp’s masterpiece Rango is the reason I am referring to this chameleon-inspired measuring tape as adorable right now! The chameleon’s camouflaging capability is in focus here too, as this EDC hides the measuring tape in plain sight.

Look at those details!  The huge, bulby eyes, detailed scale texture, the ridges in the back, and the proportion of the overall design makes this a perfect fit for stationery enthusiasts the world over. Adding to the quirkiness of the design, the tongue of the chameleon is a measuring tape that extends up to 2 meters in length. The body of the chameleon measures a tiny 1.9 inches, making it perfect to hang onto your keychain for daily use. The body is made from brass and manganese steel, giving it a nice weight and a solid overall feel to the design.

Speaking of the inspiration, the designer says, “The chameleon is one of the most charming creatures in the animal kingdom. It has survived for hundreds of millions of years under the law of the jungle with two unique techniques, which are color changing and tongue swiping. The chameleon is one of the most controversial characters in human society. The chameleon’s tongue punch is a powerful punch that pushes the limits of known vertebrate muscle capacity. In ancient Greek civilization, it was known as the “Khamaileon” lion of the earth.” Fun facts to impress anyone who questions your choice of stationery!

With nature-inspired design fast becoming a trend, the brass chameleon measuring tape is a collectible you want to get your hands on. And you know, this little lizard will not blend into your surrounding clutter. It is an EDC designed to stand out!

Designer: Coppertist.Wu

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The Chameleon bottle changes its color with the temperature!

The Chameleon bottle just makes owning a bottle and drinking the liquid stored in the bottle fun, which is a difficult thing to begin with. It’s challenging to gamify something as basic as hydration, but the Chameleon bottle does it with a simple trick. Thermally-reactive paint! The bottle comes in one of three colors, and is white when warm, and colorful when cold. Fill your bottle with warm coffee, tea, or a cold beverage like a juice or just good old chilled water (infuse it for even more of a twist). As you fill your liquid into the bottle, you literally see the color changing before your eyes, not only giving your bottle an interesting altering-avatar that’s fun to observe, but also allowing the opaque bottle to actually show you the levels of the liquid inside too! As you continuously take sips from your bottle (and believe me, you’re going to!) the level of the liquid drops, changing the color of the bottle along with it, creating a constantly morphing gradient as you fill, empty, and refill your bottle, just because staying hydrated is such an entertaining activity!

The Chameleon bottle is an especially fun bottle for children, who will definitely be bewildered and bewitched by this thermochromic magic. It comes with a leash, making it easy to carry, and even a silicone sleeve that keeps your hand from burning if you store something hot in the bottle. The sleeve even comes with a running slot on the side that lets you see the bottle’s rising and falling color level. The 600ml steel bottle can be infinitely reused, is leakproof, dishwasher safe, and is a sure-fire way to keep you (and even kids) hydrated just because you’re eager to see (and show off) the Chameleon’s changing colors!

Designer: Root7

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Coleco Chameleon will resurrect your favorite Atari 2600 games

The Coleco Chameleon from Retro Video Game Systems won't land on Kickstarter until the end of the month. However, it did hit Toy Fair earlier this week to give the public a little taste of its retro-gaming goodness and score a few deals. And score it...

This Chameleon Robot Blends in With Its Background

Check out this short video from engineers at Wuhan University in China, showing off a special robot they developed. Its unique capability ensures that you can never hide from their robots, while they can hide from you. This robot can blend in with its background. Now they could be anywhere and we will never know. They could be ready to strike you at any moment.

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This robot has a pretty neat trick up its sleeve. It uses light sensors to detect the background color, then applies an electric field to plasmonic panels that change to the appropriate color to blend in. So by the time you actually see it and scream, it will already be too late.

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Thanks science. Now I can’t trust anything. Stupid robots hiding everywhere. Now someone has to invent glasses that will let us see these robots.

You can read the full paper on how the technology works over at ACSNANO.

[New Scientist via Laughing Squid via Geekologie]