In film and science fiction, a recurring theme is invisible devices or invisibility cloaks. And it is that for many the possibility of wearing a suit that makes us invisible, or riding an invisible car makes our imagination fly. It is certain that if any of these devices existed today, it would be a total bestseller or a closely guarded government secret.
Who doesn’t want an invisible cape like Harry Potter’s?
However, and like many other inventions born first in science fiction, there are groups of researchers all over the planet who are seriously trying to make this idea a reality; And recently a breakthrough was unveiled by some students at the University of Rochester.
The device hides objects located in the middle of the lenses
The Invisible Camouflage from University of Rochester
The device devised by these students consists of an arrangement of 4 well-aligned lenses that generate curves in the light beams that pass around them, gaining a blind spot in the middle of them. Anything in the middle of these lenses will not be visible for an observer standing in front of the lens, allowing him to even move about 15 degrees in both directions without even noticing that the object is not there.
This simple 4-lens arrangement far surpasses the sophisticated devices that other teams of scientists have devised around the world. It is in the simplicity of this invention that great interest and practical possibilities have been found beyond just making invisible camouflages. The same students propose additional applications that can help solve problems in everyday life, such as eliminating blind spots in rear view mirrors in a car, or allowing a surgeon to see through their hands during a delicate operation on a patient .
Light waves bend between lenses
It is clear that this is a first prototype and that there is still much that can be improved, however, for now, this is the cheapest and easiest to assemble invisible camouflage solution that we have news about, opening a path to the future for this technology. .
Physics and mathematics applied to science fiction
Let’s watch a video of the students explaining how the curious artifact works.
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