Potter's invisibility cloak set to become a reality

/Screen capture from Twitter

By Lee Han-soo

The famous invisibility cloak from J.K. Rowling’s novel “Harry Potter” might become a reality.

The U.S. military is testing a cloak that will make the wearer disappear on the battlefield.

At present, U.S. troops use high-tech camouflage equipment called “Vatec” that allows the wearer to hide from infra-red and heat-seeking devices. But scientists are developing much more sophisticated equipment that replicates cephalopods, such as squid or octopus, and their ability to blend into the environment.

The technology was developed at MIT and the University of Illinois, and now scientists have made a major breakthrough in copying the procedure. They have developed a material that contains thousands of tiny light-sensitive cells that detect surrounding colors. The procedure takes only two to three seconds.

Scientists are optimistic about the technology being deployed on the battlefield in the next five years.

“Dynamic camouflage would allow soldiers and their vehicles to adapt to their surroundings instantly,” said Xuanhe Zhao, an engineering professor at MIT.