‘Cloaking’ device uses ordinary lenses to hide objects across range of angles - Polidicks

[QUOTE]Inspired perhaps by Harry Potter’s invisibility cloak, scientists have recently developed several ways—some simple and some involving new technologies—to hide objects from view. The latest effort, developed at the University of Rochester, not only overcomes some of the limitations of previous devices, but it uses inexpensive, readily available materials in a novel configuration.[/QUOTE] [url]http://www.rochester.edu/newscenter/watch-rochester-cloak-uses-ordinary-lenses-to-hide-objects-across-continuous-range-of-angles-70592/[/url]

The video in the source: [video=youtube;vtKBzwKfP8E]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vtKBzwKfP8E&feature=youtu.be[/video] Looks like a neat little device, but I can't see any practical application.

[QUOTE=Mort Stroodle;46091365]Looks like a neat little device, but I can't see any practical application.[/QUOTE] Hiding things inside of telescopes

Cool but useless

Potential!

[QUOTE=Complifused;46092199]Cool but useless[/QUOTE] How can you call it useless when it's a new development that just came out? There hasn't even been enough time to explore what applications this [I]could[/I] have.

[QUOTE=Snickerdoodle;46092258]How can you call it useless when it's a new development that just came out? There hasn't even been enough time to explore what applications this [I]could[/I] have.[/QUOTE] Infiltrate the enemy armys binocular supply and replace all the lenses sounds like the best application for it.

Imagine having windows like that, like 4 layers close together.

[quote]Inspired perhaps by Harry Potter’s invisibility cloak[/quote] Is this really the most notable use of an invisibility cloak? When I think cloaking device, I think of Arnold Schwarzenegger being hunted down in a jungle

[QUOTE=Dr.C;46092526]Is this really the most notable use of an invisibility cloak? When I think cloaking device, I think of Arnold Schwarzenegger being hunted down in a jungle[/QUOTE] I think of star trek level spaceship cloaking.

[QUOTE=Dr.C;46092526]Is this really the most notable use of an invisibility cloak? When I think cloaking device, I think of Arnold Schwarzenegger being hunted down in a jungle[/QUOTE] That was less true invisibility and more akin to chameleon. You could clearly see the Predator still, it was just very difficult because his form blended with the environment. It was half-way to true invisibility. Although that was for the sake of it being a movie and the audience needed to know something was actually there. However, in the context of the movie no further explanation is given and thus can be assumed the cloaking works as shown. Various reactions from people would also lead me to believe the cloak isn't perfect within the reality of the movie either.

[QUOTE=Ardosos;46092571]I think of star trek level spaceship cloaking.[/QUOTE] Apply the techniques used here on a planetary scale. Gravitational lensing.

Clearly the only way we're going to get this done is with THHGTTG-style cloaking where you make everything ignore you instead of actually go invisible

[QUOTE=Dr_Zoosh;46092489]Imagine having windows like that, like 4 layers close together.[/QUOTE] That wouldn't do anything unless you managed to get inside the window. Like in between the layers of window.

[QUOTE=amos106;46092177]Hiding things inside of telescopes[/QUOTE] or hiding the insides of a telescope, meaning you can build telescopes with things in them instead of just space for lenses

[QUOTE=Dr.C;46092526]Is this really the most notable use of an invisibility cloak? When I think cloaking device, I think of Arnold Schwarzenegger being hunted down in a jungle[/QUOTE] I thought it was a pretty ridiculous thing to put in the article since cloaking devices are a fairly old idea. Someone in the source video, however, mentions Harry Potter as one of the most notable uses so it kinda makes sense now. Personally I don't think technology articles should start by namedropping popular science fiction and fantasy stories. It gives people the wrong idea. Like, this one is just four lenses which aren't themselves cloaked and can only make things invisible around small angles. The simplicity and other nice properties are impressive, but when the article starts like that you would expect much grander. It's like starting an article on a space elevator with "A concept present in Arthur C. Clarke's Space Odyssey novels," when the elevator is neither made of diamonds nor surrounding the planet. While it's not actually lying, it is rather misleading.

[QUOTE=Mort Stroodle;46092773]Clearly the only way we're going to get this done is with THHGTTG-style cloaking where you make everything ignore you instead of actually go invisible[/QUOTE] Ah, the someone-else's-problem field on the Starship Bistromath

[QUOTE=amos106;46092177]Hiding things inside of telescopes[/QUOTE] You know what, thats a good idea, smaller package size, possible to fit the electronics in space based telescopes within the telescope barrel I like it

I kinda thought of something exactly like this when i was young, cool to see it being worked on

With this technology you could hide objects in a complex scene with relative ease I imagine with a very large and thin lenses one could probably mask something in a forest for example

[QUOTE=Dr.C;46092526]Is this really the most notable use of an invisibility cloak? When I think cloaking device, I think of Arnold Schwarzenegger being hunted down in a jungle[/QUOTE] You have to use whatever is most recently relevant in pop culture. Like how all power armour or powered exoskeletons are Iron Man suits these days.

My physics teacher told me not to be a smartass and use the ruler as the object while using lenses.

[QUOTE=viperfan7;46093117]You know what, thats a good idea, smaller package size, possible to fit the electronics in space based telescopes within the telescope barrel I like it[/QUOTE] sept the barrel of the telescopes generally like the vacume of space while the internal electronics don't lol

Wouldn't having lenses for bending the light around objects mess up the optics for a telescope anyway?

[QUOTE=Dr_Zoosh;46092489]Imagine having windows like that, like 4 layers close together.[/QUOTE] You can't. The whole idea of the system is the focal length of each lens and its distance from the next one. Your windows would be like a metre thick. :v:

So you can focus an image into a thin beam, and then expand it again to show the original image, and the light isn't disturbed as long as nothing blocks it? ok

If a single person can come up with a use for this, in it's currently demonstrated form, I'd be amazed.

[QUOTE=Worldwaker;46095117]If a single person can come up with a use for this, in it's currently demonstrated form, I'd be amazed.[/QUOTE] On side mirrors of large trucks. It could be used to see behind the trailer. (Some random Yahoo article's idea, not mine. I bet a basic camera could do it cheaper though.) -edit It seems more like an image pipe than a cloak. Perhaps used with properly deformed lenses, it could make a nice passive remote surveillance system. (grabbing at straws. I got no use for stacking lenses like that.)

They basically shot down any chance of usefulness when they explained that it only "cloaks" within a specific ring-shaped area between the lenses. I wouldn't call it cloaking, personally.

[QUOTE=Zero-Point;46096378]They basically shot down any chance of usefulness when they explained that it only "cloaks" within a specific ring-shaped area between the lenses. I wouldn't call it cloaking, personally.[/QUOTE] They did make a more effective version, but they focused on trying to make it simple.