Adaptive camouflage panel in the visible spectral range

Abstract

In this work an adaptive panel in the visible spectral range is presented. Principal possibilities and basic aspects of adaptive camouflage in the VIS are considered and some details are discussed. The panel consists of modular tiles, each containing several high power four-color-LEDs controlled by a microcontroller and high current power supply and each tile designed to operate autonomously. To control the color and the intensity several color sensors were integrated into the system. The purpose of the panel is to take on a uniform color to best match its appearance to a given reference color, where both the panel and the reference color are subject to the same environmental conditions. The panel was not designed, however, to produce different camouflage patterns. The tiles on the surface were covered by a dark plastic plate in order to provide dark and saturated colors and to guarantee a dark appearance in the passive state of the system. As was to be expected, extreme situations like high ambient brightness and direct solar illumination turned out to be particularly challenging. Substantial tests and some modifications were performed to achieve a satisfactorily uniform color reproduction of a given reference color. Physical measurements as well as observer tests have been performed to demonstrate the capability of the adaptive system.