> Although the current cloak represents a major advance, the researchers want to develop more sophisticated versions capable of performing additional functions. One particularly important goal is to conceal objects that produce heat themselves
I read the entire thing thinking it could cloak a soldier
paper article is based on
This is gonna be going straight to Ukraine
I certainly hope so!
This headline is wrong. This has nothing to do with thermal cameras. It's "cloaking" by making it appear to have the same bulk thermal properties as it's surroundings.
Yes. Unfortunately many people are reading this thinking it's a FLIR invisibility cloak.
FYI Ukraine already has FLIR invisibility cloaks (fancy camo space blankets): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GfdF3iIwoX4
This is thermal cloak, explained here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CM2RJi4mRZ0&t=52s
Notably it only works after the heat flow settles back down to equilibrium. If you're moving, it doesn't work.
Which seems like it would be good for fixed installations that need to remain undetected, no?
The other caveat is that it only works if you're embedded inside a solid object. ;)
If you're in free space, the surface can't shine its IR differently in different directions, so under FLIR it will just look like the average ambient temperature. This is no better than existing (cheap and light) space blanket camo systems.
- future soldier 2 loading....
Next cyberpunk wizpop toy: thermoptic cameoflage.
The future is turning out to be fascinating as concerning.
I've always wanted to hide apples inside pears.
Does this work for things that emit heat?
The article mentions thats the next step
Doesn't everything emit heat? :)
no, the vacuum of space does not emit heat
Let me answer your question with a question: Does the infrared camera detect emitted heat?
Generally? Yes.
In this case? No idea.
A Faraday for heat, eh?
Bad luck skynet
And that Predator monster!
Wow, a blanket!
When you cover yourself with the blanket, others see the blanket. When you cover yourself with this, others see background.
More like an iron maiden
[flagged]
Is dismissing people’s work so rudely how you make yourself feel superior?
that guy taught me something new about glass in a snarky fashion , while you delivered pure snark. no comment to add, merely an observation
you can't make a drone entirely out of glass
Can you fly a drone that's covered with a cloak?
Probably not very well if the drone is the typical (quad)copter type since the shield will likely obstruct the airflow from the propellers reducing lift. The added weight of the shield is also likely to be a problem in small drones as most are already weight constrained. Although in small electric copters like those used in Ukraine, I'm not sure how often thermal imaging is used as a primary detection vector (due to size, distance and daytime thermal delta from below).
Thermal is definitely a primary vector in detecting larger drones like the Reaper due to large combustion or jet engines, but in that case the challenge isn't cloaking the drone, it's cloaking the heat of the vented exhaust that's likely leaving a thermal 'contrail' across the sky.
It could cloak a well insulated soldier from being a dark spot on the background.