Squid-inspired 'invisibility stickers' could help soldiers evade detection in the dark

[Panich52]

Squid-inspired 'invisibility stickers' could help soldiers evade detection in the dark

http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/sciencedaily/strange_science/~3/i43R1LhWb2M/150323075231.htm?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email

Squid are the ultimate camouflage artists, blending almost flawlessly with their backgrounds so that unsuspecting prey can't detect them. Using a protein that's key to this process, scientists have designed "invisibility stickers" that could one day help soldiers disguise themselves, even when sought by enemies with tough-to-fool infrared cameras.

[leveymg]

1. Thin materials are only marginally effective.

Last edited Sun Mar 29, 2015, 01:03 PM - Edit history (1)

Infrared (IR) picks up heat signatures. A garment that contains body heat within a dark, nonreflective material is effectively invisible at night. But, to be useful for extended wear and completely defeat IR sensors, it has to contain heat for a prolonged period of time, which makes black moon suits bulky and expensive. In anything other than winter conditions, it also requires a self-contained A/C motor, batteries, condenser, and an recycling evaporator.

A thin surface coating, like mud or any other material, won't do it. The Predator (alien, not drone) had the world's worst IR detector.

There are other creative approaches to cloaking, however: http://modernsurvivalblog.com/security/how-to-block-ir-infrared-thermal-imaging/