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Accoustic Cloak Achieves Sonic Invisibility
A small acoustic cloak has been created by Duke University researchers. Sound waves striking a bump covered by the cloak bounce back as if they hit a flat wall instead.
(Acoustic cloak made from metamaterials)
To manipulate sound waves in air, (electric engineer Steven) Cummer’s team designed and built a cloak that sits atop an object like a piece of draped carpet. By layering simple metamaterial building blocks — ordinary strips of perforated plastic — the researchers hid a triangular wooden block a couple of inches high and more than a foot long at its base.Sound waves over a range of high but audible frequencies slowed and changed direction cleanly after striking the holey plastic. Most reemerged appearing to have traveled all the way down to the flat surface beneath the block.
I don't have exact match for this in my index of sf inventions, but I'm sneaking it in as an invisibility cloak that would hide you from bats.
From Acoustic cloak from metamaterials.
Scroll down for more stories in the same category. (Story submitted 7/5/2011)
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