# Chromatic Color-Changing Road Signs This Road Sign Helps Catch Driver Attention to Reinforce Rules By Michael Hemsworth | Published 2019-08-13 | Art & Design Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/colorchanging-road-sign References: [newatlas](https://newatlas.com/color-changing-road-signs/61014/) & [buffalo.edu](http://www.buffalo.edu/news/releases/2019/08/009.html) This color-changing road sign is being developed through a collaboration with scientists from the Fudan University in China with optics experts at the [University at Buffalo](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/university-of-hong-kong) in the US to help increase safety in the streets. The signs are capable of changing color thanks to a [transparent film](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/liquid-crystal-technology) that respond according to the speed at which light is hitting the polymer microspheres on the surface. This means that the sign would change color rapidly if a driver was speeding to encourage them to slow down, which could also help to warn pedestrians if a vehicle is approaching at an unsafe speed. The color-changing road sign was explained by Associate Professor Qiaoqiang Gan from University at Buffalo to New Atlas: "Just like a prism can split a white light into a rainbow, this microsphere coating delivers another way to selectively reflect a part of the white light and result in a colorful image. In particular, this color reflection is heavily dependent on the incident angle and/or observation angle." Image Credit: Gan et. al., Sci. Adv. 2019 ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 2.1/10 - Popularity: 37% | Activity: 18% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America, Asia ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Art & Design](https://www.trendhunter.com/artdesign) ## Key Themes ### What Makes This Trend Stand Out - **Color-changing Road Signs:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Implementing color-changing road signs can help increase driver attention and reinforce traffic rules, resulting in improved road safety. - **Transparent Film Technology:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Developing transparent film technology that can change color based on light speed opens up possibilities for various applications, such as dynamic signage and interactive displays. - **Polymer Microsphere Coating:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Expanding the use of polymer microsphere coatings can lead to advancements in diverse fields, including optics, materials science, and safety technology. ### Sectors Adopting This - **Transportation:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Implementing color-changing road signs can revolutionize road safety measures and enhance traffic management systems. - **Signage and Graphics:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Advancing the technology behind color-changing signs opens up new possibilities for highly responsive and engaging signage solutions. - **Materials Science:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Exploring the potential of polymer microsphere coatings can lead to breakthroughs in materials science, including responsive and adaptive material applications. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Car Color-Changing Technology](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/car-color-changing-technology.md) - [Automatic Color-Changing Vehicles](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/bmw-ix-flow.md) - [IoT-Connected Traffic Beacons](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/traffic-beacon-concept.md) - [Pedestrian-Detecting Crosswalks](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/smart-pedestrian-crosswalk.md) - [Polite Driver Communication Lights](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/sorry-thanks-car-sign.md) - [Biomaterial Color-Changing Installations](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/sensibiom-2.md) - [Climate-Responsive Color-Changing Paints](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/colorchanging-paint-1.md) - [Sound-Sensitive LED Lamps](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/innovative-led-lamp.md) - [Color-Changing Concept Cars](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/bmw-i-vision-dee.md)