Slashdot Mirror
Illusion Cloak Makes One Object Look Like Another
KentuckyFC writes "Metamaterials are synthetic substances that can steer light in any way imaginable. Their most famous incarnation is in invisibility cloaks which work by steering light around a region of space making any object inside that region invisible. But invisibility is just the start. A team of physicists in Hong Kong (the same guys who recently worked out how to cloak objects at a distance) have worked out how to create a cloak that makes one object look like another. Instead of steering light to make a region of space look empty, the illusion cloak manipulates light in a way that makes a region of space look as if it contains a specific object. So any object within that region of space, a mouse say, takes on the appearance of an elephant."
Ah, but if we're going to imagine making a tank look like a heavy truck, or a rocket launcher looking like a stack of pipes... why not just imagine world peace?
We're about as close to achieving a usable cloak of illusion as we are to achieving world piece...
"Trolls they were, but filled with the evil will of their master: a fell race..." -- J.R.R. Tolkien on Olog-hai
I hate all these cloaking articles they give really great 'examples' of what could be done with such technology but the actual news is much more mundane. In fact from the small freaking article it seems they have a math proof probably not even a prototype yet.
Still won't change the pleasure your new elephant can give.
Seems to me like you could just make a small tank look like a heavy truck by hanging some shit on it. Ditto for the rocket launcher situation.
"You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
Or vice versa.
You are welcome on my lawn.
Why make a tank look like a heavy truck or a rocket launcher look like a stack of pipes when you could make them look like just another rock?
Acording to the article, "The trick is to create a material in which the permittivity and permeability are complementary to the blah, blah, blah" In other words the creation of a material that doesn't (or cannot in our universe) exist. IMHO, a work of science fiction expressed in the language of mathematics.
Greed is the root of all evil.
A peaceful application would be for magicians, since these could lead to amazing magic tricks.
Are you really all that amazed by "Wow! That guy bought a product and used it! On stage!"?!?
Ask your local, neighborhood religion leader!
In fact from the small freaking article it seems they have a math proof probably not even a prototype yet.
What makes you think there are no prototypes yet? Just because they didn't show you photos? If you were in the military, wouldn't you fly out to see these guys ASAP when you heard this? Would you give them large amounts of cash if it looked probable? Would you keep a very tight lid on any prototypes that they produced?
I am not a believer in conspiracy theories, but I would be very disappointed in the collective militaries of the world if SOMEONE wasn't working with these guys on making this happen.
HA! I just wasted some of your bandwidth with a frivolous sig!
Why not just build a tank that looks like a big truck?
Imagine the ability to make a tank look like a heavy truck at a distance(say to a drone)
While that may work really well with people and detection systems that depend on light, it's probably worth pointing out that these metamaterials will probably have little affect on other methods of detection, such as radar and infrared, for example.
Metamaterials are synthetic substances that can steer light in any way imaginable
As I understand it, Drones have do have infrared cameras (as an example). Of course, that doesn't make much difference if the ground pilot is navigating entirely by the visible light camera and has to switch modes or something, but I'm not really sure how that stuff works. I think it's worth considering, though.
Something else too, I imagine many autonomous systems we have / develop probably don't / won't depend on visible light either.
I wonder how metamaterials affect other, invisible parts of the spectrum?
Fact: Everything I say is fiction.
If they are hot just fuck them in the ass. What's the big problem. Ass is ass if they are hot. Just stick your cock in their nice plump rear and call it a night. Fucking prude.
- Wolf Bearclaw
The disguise cloak will probably be more expensive than a rocket launcher. :)
"If God created us in his own image we have more than reciprocated." - Voltaire