Looks like its now easier to “Pick-a-boo”. Scientists and Physicists in Scotland reported last week that they have come up with a flexible material that has the ability to manipulate light in such a way that a person can be invisible after wearing it. This is achieved by the use of meta materials and compounds over the cloth that interact with light at a nano-level. This results in light flowing around the object. This is similar to how light bends around a rock in a stream of water instead of being absorbed by it.
However Scientists said that Meta materials were still in their early prototype stage. Meta materials were traditionally made of rigid substances and not occurring on flexible materials limited its potential use and benefits. The team at University of St. Andrews was led by Andrea di Falco made the material using commercially available polymer and silicon support.
The research that was published in the Britain’s New Journal of Physics said that the invention being called MetaFlex, interacts with light at wavelengths of around 620 nanometers. While visibile light for humans has wavelengths ranging from 400 to 700 nanometers.
In a statement Di Falco said, “Meta materials give us the ultimate handle on manipulating the behavior of light. Applications for Metaflex are endless with wide use in optics as well as smart clothing”.