Invisible robots are no longer just science fiction. Researchers from the Guoping Wang of Wuhan University in China have created a robot with the Chameleon-like ability to change colour with its surroundings.

How does it work? The team used a series of plasmonic displays, which are a bunch of gold-coated glass sheets with holes that measure just 50 nanometres in diameter. After this, electrolyte gel was smeared on with extra silver ions on top, so a variable electric field can be pumped through to affect colour.

Using a sensor to detect the colour of its surroundings, the electric field is turned on to change the robot's colour with its local environment.

In its current prototype, it can only manage red, green or blue. But in theory, it could replicate the RGB palette, and really create an invisible robot.

Skynet: you'll never see it coming.