Would it be possible to make magic like Harry Potter? Would it be possible to make things disappear? Your answer might be: Obviously, no. Nevertheless, back in 2006, a team at Duke University built the first rudimentary device for hiding objects, akin to the boy wizard's invisibility cloak. But, in technology as in the movies, Harry Potter is now old news. Over the past six years, scientistis have moved beyond mere invisibility: If they could build cloaks for light waves, then why not design materials to conceal sound and even ocean waves?
A whole suit of invisibility cloaks are now under development. When we perceive an object, we are actually detecting the disturbances it creates as energy waves bounce off it. The Duke cloak, constructed from a synthetic structure called a metamaterial, prevented those disturbances by bending light waves around the object, allowing them to continue flowing like water in a stream around a rock. Sure enough, that technology is not limited to light. In the latest designs it is being applied to mask all kinds of other waves, with the potential for zeroing out sound pollution and protecting cities from earthquakes. Meanwhile, scientists continue to pursue the original invisibility concept -- work that is sparking a lot of interest in military surveillance circles.
It has been created a variety of cloaks of this kind. First, visible-light cloak that connects the geometry of space and propagation of light making all objects invisible to the human eye from any viewing angle. Second, Sound cloak that renderes a metamaterial object invisible to sound waves. Thirdly, Earthquake cloak that presented a blueprint for seismic cloaks that could protect building from earthquakes. Finally, Water cloak proposed a means of cloaking shipd as they move through the water.
It is awesome, isn't it? What we thought it was impossible, it is possible now! This is a huge technological development; however, will people use it properly? Have this experiment crossed the line and boundaries of law of life?
This is AWESOME! But I must say I am a little bit worried. I think it has crossed the line of nature a little, and it can definitely be used in a wrong way. As you said, it has grown a deep interest in military surveillance circles, but this could be used as a weapon since this type of technology can lead to a new and sophisticated ways or the development of spying devices, and you know what it could mean, right? Spying other countries, conflicts, and wars. It is still awesome that engineers experiment with electromagnetic waves to bring new technological devices out of their laboratories, but it can be very dangerous as well, especially if it is in the wrong hands.
ReplyDeleteI was thinking the exact same thing. I just remembered what happened with the nuclear bomb, and how this affected our story as human race till nowadays.
DeleteThis makes me question myself, how can we be sure that this haven't be used? I mean, it's an invisible cloak, we can't prove for sure that it hasn't being available for the most influentional goverments of the world. And even thought I sound as youtube video about conspiracy. We already saw how much information has being hiden from us through time. I just hope that human's moral can be a crucial factor in the moment this product will be in the market.