Invisibility Cloak Even Closer

[CuttingEdge100]

Invisibility Cloak Closer Than Ever to Reality
URL: http://dsc.discovery.com/news/2009/01/15/invisibility-cloak.html
Eric Bland, Discovery News

Jan. 15, 2009 -- An invisibility cloak for visible light could be made within six months, say scientists from Duke University, who, in a new paper published today in Science, explain how to hide objects from a dramatically extended range of wave lengths.
"I think that within six months it's certainly viable [a cloak for visible light]," said David Smith, a professor at Duke University and author of the Science paper.
"A large number of folks are looking at it, and I think it's a matter of coupling the right material to the right device."
A metamaterial is a material with unique properties that derive from its physical structure, not its chemical make up. To manipulate light, the microscopic surface of a material must be much smaller than that of the wave length of light being used.

Fascinating.

Unfortunately I just have this feeling that this will be used for unscrupulous purposes (like spying and such)


CuttingEdge100

 

[Brent]

Yep, I'm sure the military will get the first applications of it, for spying and intelligence gathering.

Still, very exciting that something once belonging to the realm of SCIFI is actually practical now.

I guess we'll develop cloaking devices before the Romulans afteral, that should help us when we go to war with them in the future

 

[CuttingEdge100]

Could you imagine how dangerous this kind of technology could be for the role of surveillance?

The government could go into people's houses, look for incriminating evidence, find it then tell the cops as an "anonymous tips". Who would ever believe that invisible men went inside people's house and spied on them.

Also even scarier is the assassination role.


CuttingEdge100

 

[Ronald Held]

This is for all visible wavelengths or just one?

 

[CuttingEdge100]

Visible wavelengths so far

 

[BolianAuthor]

Unfortunately I just have this feeling that this will be used for unscrupulous purposes (like spying and such) CuttingEdge100

Umm... why do you think the Romulans use it... because it's a fashion trend?

Of course it's main use is spying. Why else would you want to avoid detection?

 

[QuasarVM]

Two things we definitely do not need are cloaking devices and transporters.

 

[Adagio]

The cloak of invisibility is more Ghost in the Shell than Star Trek, but still neat nonetheless. I want one.

 

[QuasarVM]

The cloak of invisibility is more Ghost in the Shell than Star Trek, but still neat nonetheless. I want one.

You wouldn't think that if some cloaked jerkwad broke into your house or looked over your shoulder every day at work. Or there were cloaked idiots running around causing all kinds of mayhem -- like terrorism.

Now would ya?

Think of how it could be misused.

 

[The Badger]

Any important discovery has the potential to be misused. And yes, I agree that this has even more potential than most.
But it could also be used for tremendous good. Imagine a terrorist attempting a hijacking, and being foiled by a sky marshal standing right next to him.
Or an roadside bomb going unused, because the insurgent with his finger on the detonator hasn't seen anything pass.

I'm not going to claim that this is an inevitable boon for humanity. But used wisely this has the potential to do a great deal of good.

 

[QuasarVM]

Any important discovery has the potential to be misused. And yes, I agree that this has even more potential than most.
But it could also be used for tremendous good. Imagine a terrorist attempting a hijacking, and being foiled by a sky marshal standing right next to him.
Or an roadside bomb going unused, because the insurgent with his finger on the detonator hasn't seen anything pass.

I'm not going to claim that this is an inevitable boon for humanity. But used wisely this has the potential to do a great deal of good.

If "ifs and buts were candies and nuts we could all have a party"!

I believe there are some technologies man is not ready for. As surely as it is invented and introduced, it's just a matter of time before it is misused.

Remember, even nuclear power was sold to as something to benefit man...but the result was nuclear weapons and a planet on constant hair-trigger alert.

I'd say the bad outweighed the good.

 

[CuttingEdge100]

The Badger,

Let's be honest the potential for misuse is way greater than it's potential for beneficial use

 

[The Badger]

I believe there are some technologies man is not ready for. As surely as it is invented and introduced, it's just a matter of time before it is misused.

Remember, even nuclear power was sold to as something to benefit man...but the result was nuclear weapons and a planet on constant hair-trigger alert.

I'd say the bad outweighed the good.

Then the problem is with man, not with the technology.
It is up to us to use the discoveries of science wisely.
Feel lucky that this announcement was made in the public domain. CuttingEdge 100 asks " Who would ever believe that invisible men went inside people's house and spied on them." Well, now that there have been news reports of this discovery, invisible men may not be so difficult to believe.
Some 'cloaked jerkwad' breaking into your house? A disturbing thought, certainly, but how is it significantly worse than someone breaking into your house anyway? Unless you mean whilst you were in, and his intention was to harm you, as opposed to burglary. Then, invisibility would give him an advantage. But so would having a knife or gun. An armed assailant scares me more than an invisible one.

To reiterate, yes, I do see dangers with such technology. But I don't see the point on dwelling only on the dangers.

 

[iguana_tonante]

Umm... why do you think the Romulans use it... because it's a fashion trend?

Of course it's main use is spying. Why else would you want to avoid detection?

I'm just very very shy.

 

[Orne]

In a past time, according to some, man wasn't ready to deal with the dangerous physical effects of traveling forty miles an hour in a locomotive.

Haven't noticed the continued use of conestoga wagons to traverse the countryside in the intervening years.

 

[CuttingEdge100]

Orne,

That was actually a pretty bad argument to use. I think it is quite plausible that such cloaking technology could be misused for surveillance, and other bad purposes.

CuttingEdge100

 

[The Badger]

If you are worried that the government might use this to spy on you, well that's a fair point, but consider this. If the authorities really wanted to learn your secrets, what would they do?

A) Use brand new, cutting edge technology, to get a team of invisible agents to follow you constantly, peering over your shoulder at work, listening to your every conversation etc. to find out whatever they want. Such agents would have to have excellent spacial awareness so they can avoid collisions with things, thus giving away their position. They should probably avoid beans for lunch, for the same reason.

B) Use conventional, proven technology, of the sort that is already employed today. Break into your home once (no need for invisibility, they just wait till you are out) and hide a few cameras and microphones around the place. Copy your computers hard drive in the process. Whole job could be done inside a couple of hours.

I submit to you the notion that, if someone does indeed wish to spy on us, they can easily do so already. The use of invisibility technology, whilst potentially useful, is hardly essential to their shenanigans.

 

[Lindley]

Even if this works, there's no way someone would be "standing right next to you" invisible. It's not nearly to that point. At best, it might act as improved camo.

 

[CuttingEdge100]

Lindley,

Actually if you look at the picture in the link it looks pretty transparent to me. Granted there's some gold reflection around the edges...

 

[CuttingEdge100]

Lindley,

Actually if you look at the picture in the link it looks pretty transparent to me. Granted there's some gold reflection around the edges...