To open up new horizons in science.
By Dileep Thekkethil
BANGALORE: The secret behind Harry Potter’s invisible cloak is out and scientists have proved that wizards are not the only once to learn the art of making it.
According to Reuters, scientists at the University of Rochester have cracked the riddle behind the invisible cloak by making use of inexpensive and commonly available lenses to hide big objects.
The invisible cloak became a much talked about fantasy gadget after the release ofJ.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter. In the novel and more importantly in the movie Harry is seen hiding inside a cloak given by Dumbledore.
Cloaking is a process that hides a particular object from the vision of others while they can see everything around the object without any disturbances. There are mentions about cloaking in mythology and fairy tales.
John Howell, a professor of physics at the upstate New York school, said, “a lot of people have worked on a lot of different aspects of optical cloaking for years,”
The new device named Rochester Cloak is not something similar to the one used by Harry, but it is looks more like an instrument used by optometrists. Any object placed behind the lenses will seem to disappear.
This is not the first of its kind of device but the other methods were difficult and failed to provide a three dimensional view when looked from different angles.
A graduate student named Joseph Choi who assisted in developing the new cloaking method at Rochester, famous for its optical research said, “from what, we know this is the first cloaking device that provides three-dimensional, continuously multidirectional cloaking.”
The scientists successfully cloaked a hand, a face, and a ruler. During each cloaking, the objects behind each subject were visible, but the subject seemed non-existent. According to leading scientists, the new discovery will open up new horizons in science.
Choi added: “I imagine this could be used to cloak a trailer on the back of a semi-truck so the driver can see directly behind him. It can be used for surgery, in the military, in interior design, art.”
The building cost of Rochester Cloak was way within the budget. Howell and Choi spent a little over $1,000 for making the device. The scientists have also given away sample instruction to interested people to make Rochester Cloak at home for just $100. The scientists are also waiting for the patent approval.