November 15, 2012
TIME Tech features an innovation piece discussing the recent study published in Nature Materials by Duke researchers Nathan Landy and David R. Smith. The article states " the creation of a 'full-parameter unidirectional metamaterial cloak for microwaves.' 'Uni-directional' meaning it only works if you’re observing the object from one direction, but “full-parameter” meaning visual bases covered — if you look at the object being masked from the right angle, you can’t see it at all".
To pull off such an impossible venture, Landy and Smith "remedied known imperfections in the cloak’s fabrication process". The Time article continues "In order to create the first cloaks, many approximations had to be made in order to fabricate the intricate meta-materials used in the device,” also featured in Duke Today.
Read more on the interview with Landy and the practicality of a three dimensional cloak here
*Image of the Invisible-man credit Thomas Jackson/getty Images