According to Exchange Magazine, an Ontario, Canada-based publication, Carleton University researcher Richard Webster has been researching Disruptive Camouflage, including how the wings of a moth are disrupted to conceal their overall shape. The intent of this research is to prove his thesis that disruptive camouflage is more effective in overall survival rate than background matching. Webster’s research led to an invitation to speak to the Canadian Department of National Defence’s Soldier Systems Unit.
You can read Richard Webster’s publications on disruptive camouflage at www.researchgate.net/profile/Richard_Webster5.
Original story: www.exchangemagazine.com/morningpost/2016/week8/Thursday/16022507
I’d say that he’s definitely on to something as far as military camouflage goes given the diverse terrains/environments that most militaries are expected to work in. However, disruptive only goes so far, after all, zebras use a disruptive pattern that’s meant to confuse predators when running in a herd but they aren’t exactly hard to spot out on the savanna. So a disruptive pattern is a good idea so long as it’s using colors that don’t cause the wearer to stand out like a zebra.
Agreed. IME, a combination of disruption and blending is the way to go. Of course, the devil is in the details!
Another thing to consider. The ideal amount of disruption depends on the complexity (vegetative, color and lighting variations) of the background; the more complex the background, the more important disruption becomes.
Typically, woodlands and shrub-lands have higher complexity, while open grasslands and barren deserts have less. This is one reason why designing a good transitional camouflage pattern is quite difficult.
Actually, new theory on Zebra stripes has to do with cooling because Zebras require more energy to digest than other comparable animals, so they are forced to continue to graze during the heat of the day when other animals can find refuge in the shade.
http://www.techtimes.com/articles/127451/20160125/why-zebras-have-black-and-white-stripes-new-study-says-not-for-camouflage.htm
‘Disco Donkeys’ also happen to be herd animals that cluster together to protect their young, and themselves, from predators. In this way, their stripes work like dazzle camouflage, ‘hiding’ in plain site by confusing / disrupting the vision system of their enemies so that they can’t get a bead on a single animal amongst the throng.
Sorry Guy Cramer already patented the idea and patterns.
Great theory, but if the enemy, can’t quite identity you as a person, they will friggin shoot you anyway-rather not be seen
Right, that’s definitely a key feature in the major NATO an PACT ROEs:
“Upon identification of a possibly human shape, you are free to engage in order to avoid detection.”
IIRC there’s a well known road in Afghanistan littered with man-shaped rocks. During the Russian era, platoons frequently needed aerial resupply after driving by, because they shot at every single rock just to make sure it wasn’t a Taliban who might see them.
/s
Seriously?
Lt Col (Ret.) O’Neill’s work proved this back in the 70’s, maybe biologists don’t read psycho-physiology research papers…
I rented an eye tracking rig to test camo back in the mid 90’s – note that camo development is just a hobby for me, here in backwards South Africa.
I’d love to redo these experiments with modern portable tech in training situations – now that I’ve given the idea away, somebody do it – I don’t have the funding or spare time.
Directed fractal and optimal color scheme mathematics allows camo developers to integrate blending and disruption requirements and can be biased to the users preference.
The key problem is to get it “good looking”.