Cloaking Device

[JPS35]

I didn't find any posts when I searched for this, so thought I would. Pretty cool:

http://www.cnn.com/videos/tech/2015/01/07/orig-researchers-invent-a-cloaking-device-npr.cnn

 

[SKORPI0]

 

[disappoint]

What the?

That is not a cloaking device.

That is a device that prevents you from seeing what's right in front of you by bending the light passing through it using lenses.

If you don't want to see what's right in front of you, instead of looking through those lenses, you could just close your eyes!

A cloaking device prevents people from seeing you! What are you going to do, walk around with 4 giant lenses that are bigger than you? Even then you are only cloaked from 1 direction. Except those lenses will need a case, which will be visible! So much for being cloaked.

To the "inventors": Nice trick. But call it something else. Also less sci fi and more science when naming things!

 

[pontifex]

I'm confused how this actually works. are the putting the objects completely in front of the device or between the lenses?

I'm not understanding how it hides like the part of the object, like the ruler, the hand, etc, but not the background? They say it could be used in surgery so the surgeon wouldn't see his hand (not sure that's a good thing???) or in cars to prevent blind spots. So in the cars, how does it hide the car frame but not also the car behind it. THe lenses are in a straight line....

the device does "cloak" what's in front of it. So it's not cloaking you, but what you are looking at. just a reverse cloaking device, lol

 

[DigDog]

call it something else.

advanced camouflage.

you gotta admit its still pretty cool.

 

[John Connor]

I had the idea of adaptive camouflage before it came out. Then I seen it on Popular Mechanics and was like SOB! Every time!

It works with tiny LCD cells and cameras. Tanks will use it one day.

 

[disappoint]

I had the idea of adaptive camouflage before it came out. Then I seen it on Popular Mechanics and was like SOB! Every time!

It works with tiny LCD cells and cameras. Tanks will use it one day.

That's what I thought this might be before clicking the link. Cameras and LCD or OLED displays.

 

[Paratus]

I had the idea of adaptive camouflage before it came out. Then I seen it on Popular Mechanics and was like SOB! Every time!

It works with tiny LCD cells and cameras. Tanks will use it one day.

Top Gear did it already.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Kg81bBQJxQE

 

[ZaneNBK]

I had the idea of adaptive camouflage before it came out. Then I seen it on Popular Mechanics and was like SOB! Every time!

It works with tiny LCD cells and cameras. Tanks will use it one day.

This is a genius idea that no-one has ever thought of in any capacity!

:whiste:

 

[Micrornd]

Here's something for the curious to try.

Borrow an optical level or optical transit.
Focus on a object on a bright sunny day, doesn't matter what, just some distance away 50'+.

Have a friend hold a quarter between their thumb and forefinger.
Have them hold the quarter directly in front of the level or transit, about 3"-4" in front of the lens. (Like you're trying to block it's view)

Now, explain why you can see through the quarter and still see the object you originally focused on (albeit dimmer)

Try this before you say it can't be done, I won a lot of money over the years making believers out of skeptics

 

[Ruptga]

This is a genius idea that no-one has ever thought of in any capacity!

:whiste:

http://xkcd.com/827/

 

[John Connor]

This is a genius idea that no-one has ever thought of in any capacity!

:whiste:

I was about 12 when I came up with it and I can't even remember when the Pop Mag came out that talked about it. Perhaps sometime in circa '97. I have no clue.

 

[William Gaatjes]

I like the idea where a surgeon or technician could use that to do his work while seeing through his hands or tools.

 

[William Gaatjes]

I had the idea of adaptive camouflage before it came out. Then I seen it on Popular Mechanics and was like SOB! Every time!

It works with tiny LCD cells and cameras. Tanks will use it one day.

It is already present more or less. It works at night when using IR cameras.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adaptiv

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3qHhyxf5jY

 

[Ichinisan]

I saw a video on YouTube a long time ago explaining exactly how this works. Funny how this video doesn't explain the principles and makes wild claims about its usefulness while pretending it's something new.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Number One, engage the giant space lenses!

 

[IronWing]

Wouldn't it be more cheaper to just take one of those giant lenses and place it between the person you're hiding from and the sun?

 

[SKORPI0]

Paraxial ray optics cloaking

pdf - http://www.opticsinfobase.org/direc...45-cb4e25339e6a1ddc_304785/oe-22-24-29465.pdf

I don't see any "practical" application if a lens is necessary and placed in front of the person looking for the object. ^_^

 

[Markbnj]

advanced camouflage.

you gotta admit its still pretty cool.

Yeah its a neat optical trick, but I agree with disappoint. It's not a cloaking device at all. It's sort of a "see past things" device.