Until the invisibility cloak of Harry Potter goes from fiction to reality, scientists exploit other avenues to find an alternative. This is the case of the laboratory of Rice University (Texas) with its technology being developed.
The researchers at Rice University have developed a squid-like color display, that is derived from the camouflaging abilities of squids. These abilities of squids were noticed by many to have extraordinary properties, some squids being able to blend in with their environment to the point of complete invisibility – as if they had put on an invisibility cloak.
The technology Rice researchers developed uses grids of nanoscopic rods that create fine-tuned, vivid colors and polarize light at the same time. The technology could not only be used to develop your own invisibility cloak, but to create screens and monitors that not only offer sharp images, but much more durability than the LCD version we have on the market at the moment. The advantage of these nanoscopic rods is that they create pixels that are 40 times smaller than those on LCD screens and they won’t fade after prolonged exposure to light.
In the future, the technology could find civilian and military applications by making an outfit or even an invisible car. However, it would take a few years before we see this technology in real life.
