We have been watching for years how scientists “play” with fields, blankets and invisibility cloaks, crossing our fingers to have one and now the time has come. Whether you are a fan of Harry Potter or the world of superheroes, soon you can receive an invisibility cloak for 800 euros.
The device, designed by British startup Invisibility Shield Co. comes in different sizes: from 30 x 20 cm (for 60 euros) to 1.80 x 1.42 m (800 euros) and is capable of making any object or person behind him disappear.
The largest version is enough to “hide multiple people standing side by side,” according to the company's Kickstarter page, and could be the closest thing to a Harry Potter-style invisibility cloak.
The device takes advantage of some properties of light, deflecting it: light falling on an object or person hiding behind the Invisibility Shield is refracted in the opposite direction to the viewer, hiding it very effectively.
Ok, it is true that it does not completely fool the eye and requires a simple background like a brick wall or a beach to be really effective and that the person hiding behind the “shield” cannot see what is happening in front, but This is a very effective gadget as shown in the video.
At the time of writing this article, the company has already raised about 184,000 euros, exceeding the initial goal of 11,000, which guarantees its production. In total, about 700 people have become with this invisibility cloak and there are 28 days left to buy it.
In short, more than a purely scientific tool, it is a fun optical illusion that, although will not be part of the military tactical arsenal of a governmentit does constitute a toy that uses science to surprise.
Once the campaign closes, the company has promised to ship its invisibility shield by the end of the year and anywhere in the world.