One Step Closer to Cloaking Devices

We're one step closer to cloaking Devices, now they can be scientifically theorized; but they're not sapping your sentry just yet.

One of the main failings of games and science fiction in general is that whilst some inventions (like teleportation, androids, and so forth) are really cool, they fail to deal with real physical laws and are sniffed at by 'proper' scientists. Now, however, scientists have found a theory to produce invisibility whilst still remaining within physical laws.

The original research here, is very heavy on the physics, so I'll do my best to translate.

Two years ago, an Anglo-US team managed to create a 'cloak' which could hide an object from microwaves. As microwaves are part of the electromagnetic spectrum, along with visible light, something that could cloak visible light would allow invisibility without all that bumping around in bandages.

The cloak was made out of a Metamaterial, of copper wires fastened around fiberglass. As the microwaves struck the cloak, they flowed through the copper without affecting the surface.

Earlier this year, scientists in California built a cloak that could negatively refract visible light, in the same way that water does. They were nearly there, but it took a team from Scotland and the Czech Republic to finally nail the starting point.

The breakthrough came when they started using Non-Euclidian geometry to describe how such a cloak would work.

In essence, the new cloak would present a surface similar to a sphere, where the light coming towards the object would be streamlined around it, in the same way that an aircraft diverts air around its wings. The beauty of this theory is that it will divert light from all sides, whilst leaving the person underneath the cloak able to see.

So Team Fortress's Spy doesn't yet exist, but the theory to create him does.

Watch this space. And if you don't see anything, you know it's worked.

Permalink

I heard something about this, or at least something like this.

The idea was the material was covered in nanotubes that refracted the light around the object or something. Not a physicist here so I have no bloody idea, I just know it's pretty damn cool.

This is pretty cool. I had no idea that science had progressed enough to do even this much.

It's all a sham! I can see right through this story.

nice. good thing i scan these forums for gems like this XD

great, now I need a flame-thrower everywhere I go.

pshh, I am already invisible...

Didn't they idea come from cats' eyes? The way the reflect (refract) light makes them shine it back completely at an observer suddenly from certain degrees, and some science-y guy saw this and was all like "Of course! Non-Euclidean geometry!" That's the whispers I heard about this anyway.

Stasisesque:
It's all a sham! I can see right through this story.

You mean the cloak.

Stasisesque:
It's all a sham! I can see right through this story.

Could you explain what it is that you are "seeing through"

dekkarax:
great, now I need a flame-thrower everywhere I go.

And now they'll have to do spy checks at the airport as well, like it doesn't take long enough to get through everything there.

Indigo_Dingo:
I remember reading about this. One of the biggest potential flaws is that Metamaterial is simply too big and unwieldly to fashion into a cloak - the material itself is better used to hide stationary objects. Still, mass producing the stuff would allow them to improve its quality, and the neccesary quantities with it. Then again, if they ever do mass produce this stuff, I predict it'll be the end of the world.

Invisible tanks, anyone? :P

fish food carl:
I missed something... root, you're a news boff now? How very awesome!

Indeed, I'm the UK correspondent for weekdays. Uncle Nil will be with you over the weekends to keep you informed.

Hehe next thing you know the upper-class-paranoid-around-town will be using this knowledge to upgrade their tin foil hats.

Sweet. I'd best put my order in soon.

Brokkr:
This is pretty cool. I had no idea that science had progressed enough to do even this much.

theres an article in popular science. were the japanese wear a coat and they have a projector and it plays...well nevermind i guess thats different from this one.

Indigo_Dingo:

Fragamoo:

Indigo_Dingo:
I remember reading about this. One of the biggest potential flaws is that Metamaterial is simply too big and unwieldly to fashion into a cloak - the material itself is better used to hide stationary objects. Still, mass producing the stuff would allow them to improve its quality, and the neccesary quantities with it. Then again, if they ever do mass produce this stuff, I predict it'll be the end of the world.

Invisible tanks, anyone? :P

Pretty sure you'd hear them though.

Details, details! I have to admit, the concept of an invisible cloak is both thrilling (though I don't know why, its not like I would ever get my hands on one ¬_¬) and terrifying, I can just picture that as soon as there's a breakthrough and there's a success, the military swoops in and does some scary shit with it.

cabooze:

Stasisesque:
It's all a sham! I can see right through this story.

Could you explain what it is that you are "seeing through"

The story. About the cloak. That is "invisible". It was a pun.

One Step Closer to Cloaking Devices

And one step closer to making the greatest Predator costume ever.

I really hope Cloaking tech actually becomes available to the public if and when they do make some breakthroughs with it, and it doesn't just become military and private hardware. I can see why they wouldn't make it widely attainable though, the only thing worse then a peeping tom is a peeping tom you can't see.

fish food carl:
I missed something... root, you're a news boff now? How very awesome!

That's what I thought. It is indeed awesome.

Calobi:
Didn't they idea come from cats' eyes? The way the reflect (refract) light makes them shine it back completely at an observer suddenly from certain degrees, and some science-y guy saw this and was all like "Of course! Non-Euclidean geometry!" That's the whispers I heard about this anyway.

I think that would have been the inspiration behind retroreflective material, instead.

If they ever market this to civilians it will be utter chaos! And totally freakin' awesome!

Kirosilence:
I really hope Cloaking tech actually becomes available to the public if and when they do make some breakthroughs with it, and it doesn't just become military and private hardware. I can see why they wouldn't make it widely attainable though, the only thing worse then a peeping tom is a peeping tom you can't see.

And the gangsta's you can't locate.

Brokkr:
This is pretty cool. I had no idea that science had progressed enough to do even this much.

Well, it hasn't. Theory has progressed far enough. But yes, it is a promising thing.

I want one!
That means that I could go wandering around downtown at night without a chainsaw and feel safe!
Best anti-rape invention ever!