The Camofleurs
August 31, 2011 9:15 AM Subscribe
Invisible, Inc. Inside the evolving science of concealment.
I think the next generation problem is camouflaging for things not in the visible spectrum. For example, FLIR technology is still expensive, but it's getting much much cheaper.
posted by rmd1023 at 9:24 AM on August 31, 2011
posted by rmd1023 at 9:24 AM on August 31, 2011
When the Wookiee invasion starts, I'm grabbing a Ghillie suit.
posted by phunniemee at 9:25 AM on August 31, 2011
posted by phunniemee at 9:25 AM on August 31, 2011
Obligatory link to Python sketch referenced by Durn Bronzefist.
posted by The Ultimate Olympian at 9:29 AM on August 31, 2011
posted by The Ultimate Olympian at 9:29 AM on August 31, 2011
I can't see how this will work.
posted by Curious Artificer at 9:35 AM on August 31, 2011 [4 favorites]
posted by Curious Artificer at 9:35 AM on August 31, 2011 [4 favorites]
Smartcamo sounds pretty cool. I expect to see high-tech color-changing cargo shorts and Yankees ballcaps soon.
posted by Hoopo at 9:47 AM on August 31, 2011
posted by Hoopo at 9:47 AM on August 31, 2011
Smartcamo sounds pretty cool. I expect to see high-tech color-changing cargo shorts and Yankees ballcaps soon.
Introducing new Fairweather Fan sporting gear! Your jersey and cap will change color depending on whichever team is in the lead!
posted by phunniemee at 9:52 AM on August 31, 2011 [1 favorite]
Introducing new Fairweather Fan sporting gear! Your jersey and cap will change color depending on whichever team is in the lead!
posted by phunniemee at 9:52 AM on August 31, 2011 [1 favorite]
er, thats odd.
A US army HQ disguised as a rubbish pile.
posted by clavdivs at 10:07 AM on August 31, 2011 [2 favorites]
A US army HQ disguised as a rubbish pile.
posted by clavdivs at 10:07 AM on August 31, 2011 [2 favorites]
I never saw a purple cow.
I never hope to see one.
But I can tell you anyhow
Purple Cow Camo SuitsTM are awesome!
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 10:37 AM on August 31, 2011 [1 favorite]
I never hope to see one.
But I can tell you anyhow
Purple Cow Camo SuitsTM are awesome!
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 10:37 AM on August 31, 2011 [1 favorite]
Smartcamo sounds pretty cool. I expect to see high-tech color-changing cargo shorts and Yankees ballcaps soon.
That's what bugs me about this stuff. If it really exists, why isn't Lady Gaga wearing it?
posted by Tell Me No Lies at 10:52 AM on August 31, 2011
That's what bugs me about this stuff. If it really exists, why isn't Lady Gaga wearing it?
posted by Tell Me No Lies at 10:52 AM on August 31, 2011
One wonders if the military advantages of invisibility are waning with technologies that can 'see' things in any number of spectrums.
It almost seems like the commercial applications would be larger.
I know of a few meetings I've attended where a cloak of invisibility would have been very handy.
posted by Phreesh at 11:02 AM on August 31, 2011 [1 favorite]
It almost seems like the commercial applications would be larger.
I know of a few meetings I've attended where a cloak of invisibility would have been very handy.
posted by Phreesh at 11:02 AM on August 31, 2011 [1 favorite]
I'd rather have a cloak of enhanced intelligence.
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 11:07 AM on August 31, 2011
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 11:07 AM on August 31, 2011
The opening of the article ("I drove past Guy Cramer’s office twice before I finally realized it was the place I was looking for. Which was exactly how Cramer planned it.") really reminds me of this Perry Bible Fellowship comic.
posted by invitapriore at 11:18 AM on August 31, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by invitapriore at 11:18 AM on August 31, 2011 [1 favorite]
One wonders if the military advantages of invisibility are waning with technologies that can 'see' things in any number of spectrums.
And as with all cased of military brinkmanship, the next step will simply be to either create things that are invisible in those spectrums as well, or find a way to blind those "eyes".
It'll be weird, one day, to find out about a stealth airplane that is radar transparent, able to bend light to be physically invisible, unable to be picked up on infra-red, silent running, and conceals its smell by releasing odors that make one think that a low flying, hard to see, completely quiet pine tree just passed overhead.
posted by quin at 3:32 PM on August 31, 2011
And as with all cased of military brinkmanship, the next step will simply be to either create things that are invisible in those spectrums as well, or find a way to blind those "eyes".
It'll be weird, one day, to find out about a stealth airplane that is radar transparent, able to bend light to be physically invisible, unable to be picked up on infra-red, silent running, and conceals its smell by releasing odors that make one think that a low flying, hard to see, completely quiet pine tree just passed overhead.
posted by quin at 3:32 PM on August 31, 2011
The military world is gripped by fads much as any other. One current fad is the Crye Precision MultiCam pattern, which personally I think looks quite useful.
posted by Harald74 at 11:49 PM on August 31, 2011
posted by Harald74 at 11:49 PM on August 31, 2011
Related Physics World issue on the history of invisibility and invisibility cloaks.
posted by glass origami robot at 5:13 PM on September 1, 2011
posted by glass origami robot at 5:13 PM on September 1, 2011
‘Invisibility Cloak’ Makes Tanks Look Like Cows
posted by homunculus at 12:04 AM on September 7, 2011
posted by homunculus at 12:04 AM on September 7, 2011
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not being noticednot being seen.*explosion*
Ok, sorry. Back to the article.
posted by Durn Bronzefist at 9:21 AM on August 31, 2011 [6 favorites]