Scientists Close In on the Advent of an "Invisiblity Cloak"; Successfully Cloak a Free-Standing Obje - Polidicks

[quote]While previous cloaking technology has been limited to two-dimensional boundaries, researchers at the University of Texas have successfully cloaked a 7.2 inch long cylindrical pipe from microwave light. They were able to do this on the three-dimensional level as well, meaning that [B]the pipe would appear to be hidden from any angle it was viewed from.[/B] Unfortunately, [B]since human beings cannot see microwaves, the pipe would still be visible to the naked eye even under cloaked conditions.[/B] However the pipe appears to disappear completely when examined by a device that ‘sees’ microwave light. The method behind this process called “plasmonic cloaking” proves that cloaking is possible, but obviously more research has to be done for it to work at the human visible level. [B]Plasmonic cloaking only works successfully if the object being cloaked is covered with plasmonic meta-materials[/B], which are composites of metal and non-conductive synthetics made of nanometre-sized structures that are far smaller than the wavelength of the light that strikes them. When the incoming light hits the meta-material, instead of bouncing the photons back in one direction, it excites and scatters them in random outward directions, which makes it impossible to see. While work on visible light cloaking may still be a bit far away, [B]the uses of microwave cloaking can be applied to present day technologies such as military reconnaissance aircraft.[/B] Given how high they already fly, [B]they could also escape radar communication towers using microwave transmissions allowing them to achieve “super-stealth”.[/B] Co-lead investigator Andrea Alu sad that “camouflaging to radar is one important application, a super-stealth device to make objects invisible to radar. “What we are thinking about is not necessarily cloaking the whole warplane but some hotspots, a part such as the tailplane that you would want to cloak because it reflects most of the energy (from microwave radar).”[/quote] [url=http://whatshawt.com/science/invisibility-cloak-getting-closer-to-reality-444.html]Source[/url]

Soon.

So basically they didn't create an invisibility cloak they figured out a way to block microwaves from three dimensions. Lame

[QUOTE=Rome;34410489]When the incoming light hits the meta-material, instead of bouncing the photons back in one direction, it excites and scatters them in random outward directions, which makes it impossible to see.[/QUOTE] Uh, wouldn't this mean it would be possible to potentially see parts of it in really brief flashes?

[QUOTE=darkrei9n;34410567]Uh, wouldn't this mean it would be possible to potentially see parts of it in really brief flashes?[/QUOTE] I suppose if your vision was adept enough to view the world with the speed of a single photon, then yes. Your brain wouldn't detect it.

[QUOTE=darkrei9n;34410567]Uh, wouldn't this mean it would be possible to potentially see parts of it in really brief flashes?[/QUOTE] I think it's more that all of it blend in with the background radiation. It's not like there's no microwaves out there, it's just that they don't come from any discernible source. So if you send it in all directions, randomly, it'd just fit in with all that other stuff.

[QUOTE=lulzbocksV2;34410523]So basically they didn't create an invisibility cloak they figured out a way to block microwaves from three dimensions. Lame[/QUOTE] How is it not a cloak?

Can we see a picture of it in action? Wait.

Damn. I was hoping we might be close to making Stealth Boys. But alas, I'll have to wait.

[QUOTE=Jetblack357;34411113]How is it not a cloak?[/QUOTE] invisibility cloak usually implies that the waves hitting it are actually visible to human eyes

Should remove the "invisibility" portion from the title. It's more of a cloaking device for certain sensors used by radar/sonar.

It's like the story about the emperor who gets told his dress looks amazing but he's naked.

Say they managed to make this work with the visible spectrum, I can't see how it would actually be invisible since the light from objects behind it would also be displaced randomly. If anything it'd look like a crazy mirror, reflecting light from areas randomly.

I thought the catch would be the usual "The temperature of the object must be at or very close to absolute zero" again.

I don't get why people think that this isn't news. Tech usually moves slow at first.

Stalking women made easier

[QUOTE=znk666;34412640]Stalking women made easier[/QUOTE] I wasn't aware that women viewed life through the microwave spectrum, I guess they're more different than my mummy said

This is more of a means to an end than the actual end itself. It's notable because it's a significant step forward, not because it's breakthrough technology in its own standing.

[QUOTE=LordCrypto;34411312]invisibility cloak usually implies that the waves hitting it are actually visible to human eyes[/QUOTE] Just because its not within our visible range doesn't make it not a cloak.

[QUOTE=lulzbocksV2;34410523]So basically they didn't create an invisibility cloak they figured out a way to block microwaves from three dimensions. Lame[/QUOTE] It's a step closer though, microwaves aren't all that different than light, light is photons and radiation, this is a huge step in the right direction.

So what would happen if you put a true invisibility cloak on inside out?

If only we could make suits like the nanosuit from Crysis1 and 2. Little light reflecting rocks or whatever solidified and turned the wearer almost invisible. Damn that would be cool.

This [i]will[/i] be the last time you see.

Force human eye augmentations at birth to see microwaves, welcome to the future?

[QUOTE=soulharvester;34411387]Should remove the "invisibility" portion from the title. It's more of a cloaking device for certain sensors used by radar/sonar.[/QUOTE] What how is 'Scientists Close In on the Advent of an "Invisiblity Cloak"' not accurate?

[QUOTE=lulzbocksV2;34410523]So basically they didn't create an invisibility cloak they figured out a way to block microwaves from three dimensions. Lame[/QUOTE] Lame? What. They managed to block photons (albeit only ones of microwave frequency) from three dimensions. Microwaves are photons, just like visible light, so if these researchers increase the frequency of what they're able to block then it'll be able to block visible light too.

For me cloaking is that it makes as if the object is not there (you can look through it), but here it would appear it just makes sure none of the light waves get reflected in an orderly manner, which may be a cloaking device for microwaves (if the imaging device is based solely on reflection, not discerning absolutely nothing from background radiation)

[QUOTE=lulzbocksV2;34410523]So basically they didn't create an invisibility cloak they figured out a way to block microwaves from three dimensions. Lame[/QUOTE] What the fuck are you talking about you can block microwaves with a sheet of metal The sheet could even have holes in it and it'd still work. This actually bends microwaves, it's incredible.

[quote]When the incoming light hits the meta-material, instead of bouncing the photons back in one direction, it excites and scatters them in random outward directions, which makes it impossible to see.[/quote] Erm. That is bullshit.

[QUOTE=lulzbocksV2;34410523]So basically they didn't create an invisibility cloak they figured out a way to block microwaves from three dimensions. Lame[/QUOTE] why are people agreeing with this, when was the last time stealth bombers were seen by people seeing them and calling into their local PD or something call of duty kiddies should not be allowed near science