A bird saver is installed on the window of a building in Ulsan. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, Jan. 27 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korean researchers have developed a transparent glass barrier that is almost invisible to the human eye, but stands out to birds, and which can be used as a transparent obstacle to prevent bird collisions.
The National Institute of Ecology announced Tuesday the development of optical arrays designed to prevent bird collisions and reflective display technology inspired by how feathers develop colors.
The optical array was developed to prevent some 8 million wild birds from flying into building walls and soundproof barriers.
It consists of nano-structure arrays capable of being molded into various shapes and sizes to be used as windows or soundproof walls to help birds recognize the light being reflected from these arrays and evade collision.
The new technology selectively enables birds to recognize the light, while limiting the impact on human eyesight.
Bird feathers develop colors by the light that is reflected from them, not by the feathers themselves. The phenomenon is best observed in peacocks and bluebirds.
The new reflective display technology was inspired by how feathers create various colors through their intricate structure, and not by pigments.
This new technology recreates colors by reflecting natural light, unlike other types of display technology that make use of color filters or backlights.
The research team suggested that the new technology could be employed in the design of low-power, high color displays.
H. M. Kang (hmkang@koreabizwire.com)
