wraggster
February 2nd, 2011, 11:42
New technology developed in the UK can render everyday objects invisible to the naked eye, scientists claim.
The cloaking device, developed by a team from the University of Birmingham and London’s Imperial College, is made from a rare mineral called ‘calcite crystal’ which splits light naturally.
So far the application of the technology has been small scale, but the device is able to “hide” small-sized objects like pins and paperclips.
The success of the prototype could lead to further, larger scale experiments but progress depends on the availability of the calcite crystal.
Previous cloaks made from artificial materials have only worked on a microscopic scale.
Dr Shuang Zhang, leader of the research team and co-author of the report said: "We believe that by using calcite, we can start to develop a cloak of significant size that will open avenues for future applications of cloaking devices."
http://www.pcr-online.biz/news/35677/Invisibility-cloak-developed-by-UK-scientists
The cloaking device, developed by a team from the University of Birmingham and London’s Imperial College, is made from a rare mineral called ‘calcite crystal’ which splits light naturally.
So far the application of the technology has been small scale, but the device is able to “hide” small-sized objects like pins and paperclips.
The success of the prototype could lead to further, larger scale experiments but progress depends on the availability of the calcite crystal.
Previous cloaks made from artificial materials have only worked on a microscopic scale.
Dr Shuang Zhang, leader of the research team and co-author of the report said: "We believe that by using calcite, we can start to develop a cloak of significant size that will open avenues for future applications of cloaking devices."
http://www.pcr-online.biz/news/35677/Invisibility-cloak-developed-by-UK-scientists