By Opalux Inc.
Chameleonix™ is a thin-film device that enables colour-changing surfaces, creating a revolutionary new way for users to customize their own product experience. Through Opalux's patented tunable photonic crystal technology, Chameleonix™ can change to a wide range of bright, vivid colours within seconds. Appearance How does Chameleonix™ change colour? Chameleonix™ is based on photonic crystals, whose colour comes from their physical microstructure. When a voltage is applied, the Chameleonix™ film expands and contracts changing the microstructure, which in turn changes the colour. How is Chameleonix™ different than colour changing LEDs? Chameleonix™ is a purely reflective technology, meaning it does not need to generate its own light. This results in Chameleonix™ consuming a fraction of the power that light emitting devices (LEDs, OLEDs, etc.) would use. How many colours can Chameleonix™ show? Chameleonix™ can reflect any colour of the rainbow: from red to violet and anything in between. Can Chameleonix™ show black or white? Chameleonix™ can be designed to have a colourless state, where the reflected light is invisible (in the UV range). Combining this colourless state with a black or white background creates a black or white state. How bright is Chameleonix™? Chameleonix™ reflects light from its environment, so, it naturally adapts to the amount of ambient light. This allows Chameleonix™ to be vibrant in bright environments, even in full sunlight where devices like LEDs would be washed-out. In darker environments, Chameleonix™ can be front- or back-lit to stand out. How fast can Chameleonix™ switch colours? Switching speed depends on device size. Smaller devices (2 x 2 cm) can change colour in 3 seconds or less, while larger devices (8 x 16 cm) can take closer to 15 seconds. Product Integration How thick is the device? A Chameleonix™ device is less than 0.4mm thick, and will not add significant bulk to any product or device. Is Chameleonix™ flexible? Yes, the Chameleonix™ system accommodates simple curves without any loss in performance. If you are interested in complex curves or shapes, please contact us to explore these possibilities. What is the lifespan of a Chameleonix™ device? The lifespan of Chameleonix™ depends on many factors, such as how often the colour is changed, how often it experiences drastic temperature or humidity changes, and the size of the device. Please contact us, we would love to discuss how Chameleonix™ can meet the requirements of your product or system! Can Chameleonix™ be scratched off? The colour changing coating is encapsulated by two conductive substrates forming the device. These substrates can be made from either glass or plastic, both creating a protective layer that prevent the coating from being removed. Power Requirements What voltage does Chameleonix™ require? Chameleonix™ requires less than 1.5V to achieve the full range of colours and is compatible with RFID and NFC. How much power does Chameleonix™ consume? The power consumption of Chameleonix™ is dependent on the size and how frequently the colour is changed, as the device only uses power to change the colour. An 8 x 16 cm sized Chameleonix™ device operates on 7 mW, if the colour is changed once every minute. In comparison, the small LED on the controller consumes 40 mW. Imagine changing the colour of (almost) anything.
Opal Detect provides dramatic colour-changes for design, and eye-catching detection to keep you healthy and safe. Opal Detect is a versatile smart material that can respond with vivid colour changes to different liquids, gases, or surfaces in the environment. Opal Detect can be used to dramatically enhance the branding experience through interactive, colour-responsive packaging and graphic features on diverse product surfaces. This effect can be fully customized with colour selection, changing or hidden graphic content, and controllable transparency. Opal Detect can be used as an easy colour-based indicator. It can indicate if food has spoiled, if there are toxins in water, or identify whether a surface has been cleaned properly. Opalux can tune the sensitivity, colour range, and time elapse reversion of Opal-Detect for a variety liquids and gases to fit your application. Opal Detect can also be made using materials that are biodegradable, biobased, and non-toxic to help achieve your company’s sustainability goals. Opal-Detect does not require any special lighting or equipment to see the colour change, and can be tracked and analyzed using a simple smartphone app. Potential Applications - In-package indication of food freshness - Water contamination (ie. Heavy Metals) - Enhanced branding experience – fun interactive packaging - Surface cleanliness and sanitization - Adulteration or spiking of alcoholic beverages
CATEGORY
Opal Print offers a new and sustainable way to personalize your product with flair! Opal Print is a reflective film that can be patterned using heat to create colourful and intricate colour-shifting designs, images, and portraits. Unlike traditional printing processes, Opal Print can be personalized right before your product ships out, minimizing costs while providing a novel and personalized touch. Opal Print is incredibly thin and lightweight, so it won’t impact the shape or weight of your product. This smart material can be adapted to fit your application and can be developed as a sticker, laminate or hot-stamping foil and can even be made to be recyclable when combined with plastic packaging. For other packaging, Opal Print can be developed with biodegradable, biobased and non-toxic materials. Opal Print has previously been developed as Opal ID, a personalized security feature for next-generation passports.
CATEGORY
Opal ID transforms authentication, maintaining confidence in polycarbonate ID documents and keeping international travel safe and effective. This personalized security feature combines the document holder’s portrait with a bright, attractive, optically variable, colour-shift image. This unique property makes documents virtually impossible to counterfeit or fraudulently alter, and enables direct verification of the portrait on the document. This feature is compatible with standard polycarbonate lamination and personalization equipment, making it easy to integrate into polycarbonate ID manufacturing processes. Opal ID is embedded within the polycarbonate document and personalized after lamination, making it suitable for both centralised and decentralised issuance.
CATEGORY
Opalux is developing the next generation of sustainable colour-shifting pigments. Opalux can make their products using bio-based, bio-degradable, or recyclable materials to minimize environmental impact. Products that can be designed to include sustainable materials include Opal Protect, Opal Print, Opal Impact, and Opal Detect. Opalux can also create non-tunable but highly reflective colour-shifting pigments that are sustainable. These materials can help replace metalized pigments that are not recyclable or biodegradable and are contributing to unnecessary waste in the environment. These materials are designed to have a wide range of colours, including metallic-like effects.
CATEGORY
