Invisibility Cloak

[Stillwater]

What are some of the potential applications/implications of invisibility cloaks? What would you do with one? Would personal cloaks create a culture of 'lurkers' in real life?

Theoretically, they could be sized to conceal objects as large as buildings, or lightweight and comfortable as pajamas.


Originally appeared in the journal Science, but they make you pay to read it.
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2006/05/060525-invisibile.html


The theoretical breakthrough is made possible by novel substances called metamaterials.

Invented six years ago, the man-made materials are embedded with networks of exceptionally tiny metal wires and loops.

The structures refract, or bend, different types of electromagnetic radiation?such as radar, microwaves, or visible light?in ways natural substances can't.

"[Metamaterials] have the power to control light in an unprecedented way," said Sir John Pendry, a theoretical physicist at England's Imperial College London.

"They can actually keep it out of a volume of space, but they can do so without you noticing that there's been a local disturbance in the light."

[ApeTheDog]

I would use my invisibility cloak to, get this... be invisible. I don't know what other uses there would be for such a thing - being invisible is pretty much the only one I can think of.

[Dr. Haight]

RULE THE WORLD!

[PiccoloNamek]

We're one step closer to Ghost in the Shell...

Yes!

[EmmaPeel]

I would follow people to their places all the time. I would watch people I know all the time. I would go to places of business where I have no right to go and listen to conversations I have no right to hear. I don't suppose you could take things because the items would be seen by others.

[Lurker]

I would follow people to their places all the time. I would watch people I know all the time. I would go to places of business where I have no right to go and listen to conversations I have no right to hear. I don't suppose you could take things because the items would be seen by others.

Hmm......:ph34r:

Edit: quoted for the record

[nonoriginal]

I would do many many naughty things... :devil:

[Lurker]

I would sneak in suburban homes to see how normal people act.

[Lurker]

Imagine what invisible sex would be like!

Just a lot of groping in the dark, so to speak. "Oops! Sorry about your eye!"

[headfonez]

I would sneak in suburban homes to see how normal people act.
Lurker, you dont have a clue of what you are talking on.

[Lurker]

Lurker, you dont have a clue of what you are talking on.

No, I don't know what I'm talking on.

[Madrigal]

One thing I would never do is use it to spy on people I know.

I would expropriate things from (the right) people and use what I collect for social/revolutionary aims.

[CoHo]

It'll depend on if they can make it durable.

If you get hit with a cloud of dust and it sticks to your nano-suit, are you going to have to take a nano-brush to wipe off the nano-particles?

[pegasus]

I would spy on abusive homes and call the cops when kids were being abused.
I would use my force to abuse back the parents that do it to their kids.

I would try to be a vigilante to fight injustice. I would listen in to certain private conversations in the stock market. I would watch people in a poker game and help the person I want to win by whispering to them.

I would sneak into kitchens to see whats in the cupboards and put food in cupboards where there is no food.

[CoHo]

I would spy on abusive homes and call the cops when kids were being abused.
I would use my force to abuse back the parents that do it to their kids.

I would try to be a vigilante to fight injustice. I would listen in to certain private conversations in the stock market. I would watch people in a poker game and help the person I want to win by whispering to them.

I would sneak into kitchens to see whats in the cupboards and put food in cupboards where there is no food.

me too

[DoubleThought]

I would follow someone around dancing, then throw on the invisibility cloak. After a couple weeks of that, I would follow them to the psychiatrist and laugh to myself.

[Hustler]

I would be invisible while I built my time machine so that I could do some really cool stuff, because just being invisible sucks. When I finished my time machine, the first thing I'd do is go forward in time to get a flashlight or nightvision goggles which revealed other invisible people because, from the sound of the original post, I wouldn't be the only person with an invisibility cloak. I wouldn't want some invisible dude to sneak up and jack my time machine.

[mgb]

Hmm......:ph34r:

Edit: quoted for the record

Are you thinking that the government might already be in possession of said cloak? Because I am.

[Superstring]

What are some of the potential applications/implications of invisibility cloaks?

TANKS. Nighttime warfare. Silent, armoured military vehicles that roam fields and streets at night....you would never see one.

[DoubleThought]

Are you thinking that the government might already be in possession of said cloak? Because I am.

Of course they are. In fact, it is quite possible that they are standing behind you watching you type that, and you will drop dead in a few moments from an unseen stab in the neck. :whistle:

[mgb]

Of course they are. In fact, it is quite possible that they are standing behind you watching you type that, and you will drop dead in a few moments from an unseen stab in the neck. :whistle:It's not me I'm worried about. Or my government.

[DoubleThought]

It's not me I'm worried about. Or my government.

Well then maybe you SHOULD be worried. [insert dramatic music here]

I mean really, if the government had these invisibility cloaks, then they could do all sorts of crazy stuff. Like... cause INTPc's crash! :ph34r:

[mgb]

Well then maybe you SHOULD be worried. [insert dramatic music here]

I mean really, if the government had these invisibility cloaks, then they could do all sorts of crazy stuff. Like... cause INTPc's crash! :ph34r:

"The" government isn't my government. My government can barely afford a navy, let alone invisibility in any shape or form.

Why do they need an invisibility cloak to cause INTP Central's crash? Is that all you can think to do with an invisibility cloak? Boring.

[DoubleThought]

"The" government isn't my government. My government can barely afford a navy, let alone invisibility in any shape or form.

Why do they need an invisibility cloak to cause INTP Central's crash? Is that all you can think to do with an invisibility cloak? Boring.

They can afford a navy AND invisibility! You just can't tell because they have an INVISIBLE NAVY! :ph34r:

You would need the invisibility cloak to cause the INTPc crash because you would have to get past all the zombie guards in the ancient crypt that the servers are kept in. Doesn't anybody know these things? <_<

And I can think of plenty of other things to do with an invisibility cloak.

And here it is everyone, the top 10 things to do with an invisibility cloak, in no particular order!

10. Stealing Cheerios from your local supermarket
9. Smuggling illegal immigrants across the border
8. Making a deal with psychiatrists to make everyone on the planet need psychiatric help by screwing with their heads, and then getting a percentage of their profits
7. Ninjas. :ph34r: An invisible ninja army.
6. Murders
5. The CIA, FBI, Army or Mafia
4. Blackmail
3. Going to a car lot, and NOT being attacked and possibly mauled by car salesmen
2. Sitting around and feeling generally awesome, cos you are invisible.
1. Going to a furniture store, and NOT being attacked and possibly mauled by furniture salesmen.

I could go on, but I don't think you people would appreciate that.

[Birdsnest]

I thought they had some type of spray that could suspend itself in the air, that had some kind of miniature cameras in the droplets that hung in the air. They were doing experiments with that type of thing I thought.

[Zerikin Loukbel]

Just being able to observe people without my presence interrupting their normal activity would be cool. The ultimate tool for the ultimate group of introverts :D