Interesting concept. Obviously there are some technical difficulties to overcome, lol. It kind of takes the concept of RAM to the next level. If a coating could be devised that covered a broad spectrum, conceivably electromagnetic radiations could also be cloaked. In 50 years we may have invisible navies with invisible aircraft dropping invisible bombs! :eekJames Owen in London
for National Geographic News
February 28, 2005
In popular science fiction, the power of invisibility is readily apparent. Star Trek fans, for example, know that the devious Romulans could make their spaceships suddenly disappear.
But is the idea really so implausible? Not according to new findings by scientists who say they have come up with a way to create cloaking device.
Electronic engineers at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia are researching a device they say could make objects "nearly invisible to an observer." The contrivance works by preventing light from bouncing off the surface of an object, causing the object to appear so small it all but disappears.
The concept was reported today by the science news Web site [email protected]. It says the proposed cloaking device would not require any peripheral attachments (such as antennas or computer networks) and would reduce visibility no matter what angle an object is viewed at.
Sir John Pendry, a physicist at Imperial College, London, said the concept potentially holds several important applications "in stealth technology and camouflage."
While types of invisibility shielding have been developed before, the phenomenon described by Andrea Alú and Nader Engheta sounds like something that might have been witnessed from the bridge of science fiction's starship Enterprise.
The concept is based on a "plasmonic cover," which is a means to prevent light from scattering. (It is light bouncing off an object that makes it visible to an observer).
The cover would stop light from scattering by resonating at the same frequency as the light striking it. If such a device could cope with different wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation (including visible light), in theory, the object would vanish into thin air.
Plasmonic Covers
Alú and Engheta investigated experimental plasmonic covers that incorporated metals, such as gold and silver, to hide visible light.
When light strikes a metallic material, waves of electrons, called plasmons, are generated. The engineers found that when the frequency of the light striking the material matched the frequency of the plasmons, the two frequencies act to cancel each other out.
Under such conditions, the metallic object scattered only negligible amounts of light.
The researchers' studies show that spherical and cylindrical objects coated with plasmonic shielding material produce very little light scattering. These objects, when hit by the right wavelength of light, were seen to become so small that they were almost invisible.
The study is supported by the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, which researches and develops cutting edge military technology.
Some experts note, however, that cloaking devices that could enable military vehicles and aircraft, let alone spaceships, to become completely invisible to the enemy are likely to remain elusive for the foreseeable future.
John Pendry, the Imperial College physicist, said that light-shielding covers would have to be customized to match the properties of each and every object they hide.
It would be still more difficult to devise shields that could cope with all wavelengths of the visible spectrum—from red to violet light—and not just a single color.
Types of invisibility shielding previously proposed by scientists depend on advanced camouflage systems, rather than objects being made to look undetectably tiny. Such systems involve light sensors that create a mirror image of the background scene on the concealed object.
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2005/02/0228_050228_invisibility.html
Invisibility Shields Planned by Engineers
- Thread starter highsea
- Start date
Interesting concept. Obviously there are some technical difficulties to overcome, lol. It kind of takes the concept of RAM to the next level. If a coating could be devised that covered a broad spectrum, conceivably electromagnetic radiations could also be cloaked. In 50 years we may have invisible navies with invisible aircraft dropping invisible bombs! :eek
I think such weapons wont be created until well after 2075, even if the technology was created the militaries dont always automatically update their equipment, they go through trial runs, tactics and strategic analysis, making it a cheaper conveniant solution before theya re adopted en masse. Although the US isnt like India where beauracracy and other things make these matters long and time consuming, it will still take time, and that is if the technology comes to fruition, which itself is highly unlikely...
I'd be arguing considerably less deployable timeframes. I'd be betting on 10-15 years for unit level potential.redsoulja said:
Some of the capability is here now. Just look at the Have Blue/F117. The USAF fielded the technology over 25 years ago and had it deployed for approx 9 years before discussing it in the clear.
Digital management is undergoing its own version of Moores Law. The two countries with the most patents and demonstrated capability in DSP management are the US and Japan. DSP is a critical link in the technology. Both the US and Japan have limited CTD's in place already showing the potential. getting it to a stage where it can be field tested on smaller deployable platforms is the next step. Going on the USAF capability to hide the development of the Have Blue project, and the B2, then secrecy is not an issue.
F-117/HaveBlue worked by redirecting and scattering radar signals, and to some extent, absorbing radar energy.
i agree that that 2075 is a very pesimistic forcast. and having heard a few stories about the Skunkworks and it's creators Kelly Johnson and Ben Rich, i'd beleive things are a lot closer..
i agree that that 2075 is a very pesimistic forcast. and having heard a few stories about the Skunkworks and it's creators Kelly Johnson and Ben Rich, i'd beleive things are a lot closer..
Correct me if i'm wrong but if the light was not reflected, it still produce a silhouette, which is itself detectable right? let's look it like this. a burglar wearing black outfit is hard to see at night because black absorb light. but if u put him in the middle of the day, unless he's stay in the shadow, he's a dead give away. not because he's reflecting light but because he's produce a silhoutte against the ambient light source.
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