Not only since the Harry Potter books gained popularity, invisibility in fantasy and sci-fi works has been a much-discussed topic. Always treated as a utopia by researchers, the British startup Vollebak now wants to teach the world a better lesson, as “Wired” reports.
“Thermal camouflage” camouflage is designed to make the wearer invisible – like in Harry Potter
This is supposed to be made possible by a prototype of a jacket called “Thermal Camouflage”, which can already make the wearer invisible – but so far only for thermal imaging cameras.
This works thanks to the material graphene. Lined up in 42 multi-layer panels, it can be charged by storing ions in a liquid and applying voltage. The effect: The graphene becomes a reflective and no longer absorbing material.
camouflage coat that works the way JK Rowling had imagined
Thanks to the technology, the startup claims that in “five to ten years” they could develop an invisible camouflage cloak. JK Rowling must have thought something like that when he wrote the books about the little magician.
Researchers still have some doubts about the plans. Graph expert Mario Paleaz-Fernandez, for example, predicts that true invisibility is impossible because visible and infrared radiation are two completely different things. If the startup’s plans really work out, you would end up with “not a camouflage coat, just a chameleon coat”.
