The document discusses the history and physics of invisibility, including camouflage techniques used in wartime and theories of metamaterials that could create invisibility cloaks by bending light around an object. It covers historical examples like "dazzle" camouflage used on ships as well as modern research into cloaking using transformations of space and negative refractive indexes to route light around an obscured region.

1. http://timeandquantummechanics.comInvisibility: Theory & Practice - Balticon, May 25th 2013
Invisibility:
Theory &
Practice
John Ashmead
Monday, June 3, 13

2. http://timeandquantummechanics.comInvisibility: Theory & Practice - Balticon, May 25th 2013
Invisibility:
Theory &
Practice
John Ashmead
And catch “Your Lying
Eyes” with Stephen
Grande at 5pm!
Monday, June 3, 13

3. Invisibility: Theory & Practice - Balticon, May 25th 2013 http://timeandquantummechanics.com
Transparent
Motives
Monday, June 3, 13

4. Invisibility: Theory & Practice - Balticon, May 25th 2013 http://timeandquantummechanics.com
Transparent
Motives
•Wicked cool
Monday, June 3, 13

5. Invisibility: Theory & Practice - Balticon, May 25th 2013 http://timeandquantummechanics.com
Transparent
Motives
•Wicked cool
•Very practical:
not just for war
anymore!
Monday, June 3, 13

6. Invisibility: Theory & Practice - Balticon, May 25th 2013 http://timeandquantummechanics.com
Transparent
Motives
•Wicked cool
•Very practical:
not just for war
anymore!
•And of great
scientific value
Monday, June 3, 13

7. Invisibility: Theory & Practice - Balticon, May 25th 2013 http://timeandquantummechanics.com
Outline
Monday, June 3, 13

8. Invisibility: Theory & Practice - Balticon, May 25th 2013 http://timeandquantummechanics.com
Outline
•A brief history of
invisibility
Monday, June 3, 13

9. Invisibility: Theory & Practice - Balticon, May 25th 2013 http://timeandquantummechanics.com
Outline
•A brief history of
invisibility
•Reflections on
materials
Monday, June 3, 13

10. Invisibility: Theory & Practice - Balticon, May 25th 2013 http://timeandquantummechanics.com
Outline
•A brief history of
invisibility
•Reflections on
materials
•War, peace & the
future
Monday, June 3, 13

11. Invisibility: Theory & Practice - Balticon, May 25th 2013 http://timeandquantummechanics.com
The Invisible
Man
“If a sheet of glass is smashed, Kemp, and beaten into a powder, it
becomes much more visible while it is in the air; it becomes at last an
opaque white powder. This is because the powdering multiplies the
surfaces of the glass at which refraction and reflection occur. In the
sheet of glass there are only two surfaces; in the powder the light is
reflected or refracted by each grain it passes through, and very little
gets right through the powder. But if the white powdered glass is put
into water, it forthwith vanishes. The powdered glass and water have
much the same refractive index; that is, the light undergoes very little
refraction or reflection in passing from one to the other.” -- Griffin
…
"Yes, yes," said Kemp. "But a man's not
powdered glass!"
Monday, June 3, 13

12. Invisibility: Theory & Practice - Balticon, May 25th 2013 http://timeandquantummechanics.com
Sucker Bet
Monday, June 3, 13

13. Invisibility: Theory & Practice - Balticon, May 25th 2013 http://timeandquantummechanics.com
The last cry you hear
could be “Mimicry”
Monday, June 3, 13

14. Invisibility: Theory & Practice - Balticon, May 25th 2013 http://timeandquantummechanics.com
The last cry you hear
could be “Mimicry”
Monday, June 3, 13

15. Invisibility: Theory & Practice - Balticon, May 25th 2013 http://timeandquantummechanics.com
The last cry you hear
could be “Mimicry”
Yellow
touches
red, you
be dead.
Red
touches
black, eat
Cracker
Jacks.
Monday, June 3, 13

16. Invisibility: Theory & Practice - Balticon, May 25th 2013 http://timeandquantummechanics.com
The last cry you hear
could be “Mimicry”
Yellow
touches
red, you
be dead.
Red
touches
black, eat
Cracker
Jacks.
Monday, June 3, 13

17. Invisibility: Theory & Practice - Balticon, May 25th 2013 http://timeandquantummechanics.com
Spicebush swallowtail
Monday, June 3, 13

18. Invisibility: Theory & Practice - Balticon, May 25th 2013 http://timeandquantummechanics.com
Spicebush swallowtail
Monday, June 3, 13

19. Invisibility: Theory & Practice - Balticon, May 25th 2013 http://timeandquantummechanics.com
Camouflage
“The soldiers
of France will
never
abandon
their
pantaloons
rouge!”
Monday, June 3, 13

20. Invisibility: Theory & Practice - Balticon, May 25th 2013 http://timeandquantummechanics.com
Camouflage
Modern camouflage began in
1915, when, after a crushing
defeat by the Germans, the
French army abandoned their
stylish white gloves and red
pantaloons and enlisted a cadre
of artists to develop stealthier
attire. The U.S. followed suit in
1917. In addition to hand-
painted uniforms, these
camoufleurs created false
bridges, decoy tanks, and, as
seen above, paper-mache horse
carcasses that snipers used as
blinds.
Monday, June 3, 13

21. Invisibility: Theory & Practice - Balticon, May 25th 2013 http://timeandquantummechanics.com
Dazzle
Monday, June 3, 13

22. Invisibility: Theory & Practice - Balticon, May 25th 2013 http://timeandquantummechanics.com
Dazzle
•Ships in WWI &
WWII
Monday, June 3, 13

23. Invisibility: Theory & Practice - Balticon, May 25th 2013 http://timeandquantummechanics.com
Dazzle
•Ships in WWI &
WWII
•Confusion to the
enemy
Monday, June 3, 13

24. Invisibility: Theory & Practice - Balticon, May 25th 2013 http://timeandquantummechanics.com
Dazzle
•Ships in WWI &
WWII
•Confusion to the
enemy
•Moral boost at
least
Monday, June 3, 13

25. Invisibility: Theory & Practice - Balticon, May 25th 2013 http://timeandquantummechanics.com
Dazzle
•Ships in WWI &
WWII
•Confusion to the
enemy
•Moral boost at
least
Monday, June 3, 13

26. Invisibility: Theory & Practice - Balticon, May 25th 2013 http://timeandquantummechanics.com
Stealth
Monday, June 3, 13

27. Invisibility: Theory & Practice - Balticon, May 25th 2013 http://timeandquantummechanics.com
Why so Boxy?
Monday, June 3, 13

28. Invisibility: Theory & Practice - Balticon, May 25th 2013 http://timeandquantummechanics.com
Why so Boxy?
•Reflections angle
away from source
Monday, June 3, 13

29. Invisibility: Theory & Practice - Balticon, May 25th 2013 http://timeandquantummechanics.com
Why so Boxy?
•Reflections angle
away from source
•Also, paint eats
radar waves
Monday, June 3, 13

30. Invisibility: Theory & Practice - Balticon, May 25th 2013 http://timeandquantummechanics.com
Why so Boxy?
•Reflections angle
away from source
•Also, paint eats
radar waves
•But, hard to fly
Monday, June 3, 13

31. Invisibility: Theory & Practice - Balticon, May 25th 2013 http://timeandquantummechanics.com
Why so Boxy?
•Reflections angle
away from source
•Also, paint eats
radar waves
•But, hard to fly
•And, crashes a lot
Monday, June 3, 13

32. Invisibility: Theory & Practice - Balticon, May 25th 2013 http://timeandquantummechanics.com
Monday, June 3, 13

33. Invisibility: Theory & Practice - Balticon, May 25th 2013 http://timeandquantummechanics.com
Pay no attention…
Monday, June 3, 13

34. Invisibility: Theory & Practice - Balticon, May 25th 2013 http://timeandquantummechanics.com
Physics of
invisibility
Monday, June 3, 13

35. Invisibility: Theory & Practice - Balticon, May 25th 2013 http://timeandquantummechanics.com
Physics of
invisibility
•Invisibility cloaks
Monday, June 3, 13

36. Invisibility: Theory & Practice - Balticon, May 25th 2013 http://timeandquantummechanics.com
Physics of
invisibility
•Invisibility cloaks
•Negative refractive indexes
Monday, June 3, 13

37. Invisibility: Theory & Practice - Balticon, May 25th 2013 http://timeandquantummechanics.com
Physics of
invisibility
•Invisibility cloaks
•Negative refractive indexes
•Metamaterials
Monday, June 3, 13

38. Invisibility: Theory & Practice - Balticon, May 25th 2013 http://timeandquantummechanics.com
Physics of
invisibility
•Invisibility cloaks
•Negative refractive indexes
•Metamaterials
•Optical transformations
Monday, June 3, 13

39. Invisibility: Theory & Practice - Balticon, May 25th 2013 http://timeandquantummechanics.com
Physics of
invisibility
•Invisibility cloaks
•Negative refractive indexes
•Metamaterials
•Optical transformations
•General relativity helps make it simple?
Monday, June 3, 13

40. Invisibility: Theory & Practice - Balticon, May 25th 2013 http://timeandquantummechanics.com
Invisibility Cloaks
Monday, June 3, 13

41. Invisibility: Theory & Practice - Balticon, May 25th 2013 http://timeandquantummechanics.com
Out of mind, out of sight
Monday, June 3, 13

42. Invisibility: Theory & Practice - Balticon, May 25th 2013 http://timeandquantummechanics.com
Out of mind, out of sight
"Of course: I've been
investigating the
mystical causes of
invisibility when I
should have looked at
the quantum
mechanical!" – Rupert
Giles
Monday, June 3, 13

43. Invisibility: Theory & Practice - Balticon, May 25th 2013 http://timeandquantummechanics.com
Out of mind, out of sight
"Of course: I've been
investigating the
mystical causes of
invisibility when I
should have looked at
the quantum
mechanical!" – Rupert
Giles
"I think I speak for
everyone here when I
say 'huh?'" – Buffy
Summers
Monday, June 3, 13

44. Invisibility: Theory & Practice - Balticon, May 25th 2013 http://timeandquantummechanics.com
Lighten Up!
Monday, June 3, 13

45. Invisibility: Theory & Practice - Balticon, May 25th 2013 http://timeandquantummechanics.com
Lighten Up!
•Slow light
Monday, June 3, 13

46. Invisibility: Theory & Practice - Balticon, May 25th 2013 http://timeandquantummechanics.com
Lighten Up!
•Slow light
•Light that goes faster than light
Monday, June 3, 13

47. Invisibility: Theory & Practice - Balticon, May 25th 2013 http://timeandquantummechanics.com
Lighten Up!
•Slow light
•Light that goes faster than light
•Stopped light - light that doesn’t go at
all
Monday, June 3, 13

48. Invisibility: Theory & Practice - Balticon, May 25th 2013 http://timeandquantummechanics.com
Lighten Up!
•Slow light
•Light that goes faster than light
•Stopped light - light that doesn’t go at
all
•Backwards light
Monday, June 3, 13

49. Invisibility: Theory & Practice - Balticon, May 25th 2013 http://timeandquantummechanics.com
Cat’s eyes
Monday, June 3, 13

50. Invisibility: Theory & Practice - Balticon, May 25th 2013 http://timeandquantummechanics.com
Cat’s eyes
Monday, June 3, 13

51. Invisibility: Theory & Practice - Balticon, May 25th 2013 http://timeandquantummechanics.com
Cat’s eyes
Monday, June 3, 13

52. Invisibility: Theory & Practice - Balticon, May 25th 2013 http://timeandquantummechanics.com
Fermat’s
principle
Direct but slow
Faster
Monday, June 3, 13

53. Invisibility: Theory & Practice - Balticon, May 25th 2013 http://timeandquantummechanics.com
Fermat’s
principle
Direct but slow
Faster
Fastest!
Monday, June 3, 13

54. Invisibility: Theory & Practice - Balticon, May 25th 2013 http://timeandquantummechanics.com
Simple Lens
Monday, June 3, 13

55. Invisibility: Theory & Practice - Balticon, May 25th 2013 http://timeandquantummechanics.com
Lüneberg Lens
Monday, June 3, 13

56. Invisibility: Theory & Practice - Balticon, May 25th 2013 http://timeandquantummechanics.com
Positive
Refraction
Monday, June 3, 13

57. Invisibility: Theory & Practice - Balticon, May 25th 2013 http://timeandquantummechanics.com
Negative Refraction
Monday, June 3, 13

58. http://www.loa.espci.fr/cargese2009/Cargese2009_Pendry.pdfInvisibility: Theory & Practice - Balticon, May 25th 2013
Time Reversal
Monday, June 3, 13

59. http://www.loa.espci.fr/cargese2009/Cargese2009_Pendry.pdfInvisibility: Theory & Practice - Balticon, May 25th 2013
Negative cancels
positive
Monday, June 3, 13

60. Invisibility: Theory & Practice - Balticon, May 25th 2013 http://timeandquantummechanics.com
Super lens
Monday, June 3, 13

61. Invisibility: Theory & Practice - Balticon, May 25th 2013 http://timeandquantummechanics.com
Monday, June 3, 13

62. http://www.loa.espci.fr/cargese2009/Cargese2009_Pendry.pdfInvisibility: Theory & Practice - Balticon, May 25th 2013
Monday, June 3, 13

63. http://www.loa.espci.fr/cargese2009/Cargese2009_Pendry.pdfInvisibility: Theory & Practice - Balticon, May 25th 2013
Monday, June 3, 13

64. http://www.loa.espci.fr/cargese2009/Cargese2009_Pendry.pdfInvisibility: Theory & Practice - Balticon, May 25th 2013
Warping space
Monday, June 3, 13

65. http://www.loa.espci.fr/cargese2009/Cargese2009_Pendry.pdfInvisibility: Theory & Practice - Balticon, May 25th 2013
Monday, June 3, 13

66. http://www.loa.espci.fr/cargese2009/Cargese2009_Pendry.pdfInvisibility: Theory & Practice - Balticon, May 25th 2013
Like water
around a rock…
Monday, June 3, 13

67. Invisibility: Theory & Practice - Balticon, May 25th 2013 http://timeandquantummechanics.com
Hiding a lump
under the carpet
Monday, June 3, 13

68. Invisibility: Theory & Practice - Balticon, May 25th 2013 http://timeandquantummechanics.com
Invisible Tanks
Monday, June 3, 13

69. Invisibility: Theory & Practice - Balticon, May 25th 2013 http://timeandquantummechanics.com
Invisible Tanks
Monday, June 3, 13

70. Invisibility: Theory & Practice - Balticon, May 25th 2013 http://timeandquantummechanics.com
Buffy must explain to Willow and Amy
that their invisibility spell doesn't work
so well with clothes on
Monday, June 3, 13

71. Invisibility: Theory & Practice - Balticon, May 25th 2013 http://timeandquantummechanics.com
Buffy must explain to Willow and Amy
that their invisibility spell doesn't work
so well with clothes on
•Traffic light
visibility
Monday, June 3, 13

72. Invisibility: Theory & Practice - Balticon, May 25th 2013 http://timeandquantummechanics.com
Buffy must explain to Willow and Amy
that their invisibility spell doesn't work
so well with clothes on
•Traffic light
visibility
•Earthquakes
avoidance
Monday, June 3, 13

73. Invisibility: Theory & Practice - Balticon, May 25th 2013 http://timeandquantummechanics.com
Buffy must explain to Willow and Amy
that their invisibility spell doesn't work
so well with clothes on
•Traffic light
visibility
•Earthquakes
avoidance
•Locating
reactor core
with muons
Monday, June 3, 13

74. Invisibility: Theory & Practice - Balticon, May 25th 2013 http://timeandquantummechanics.com
Black holes in
the laboratory
Monday, June 3, 13

75. Invisibility: Theory & Practice - Balticon, May 25th 2013 http://timeandquantummechanics.com
Black holes as
lenses
Einstein Rings
Monday, June 3, 13

76. Invisibility: Theory & Practice - Balticon, May 25th 2013 http://timeandquantummechanics.com
Time Cloak
Monday, June 3, 13

77. Invisibility: Theory & Practice - Balticon, May 25th 2013 http://timeandquantummechanics.com
Time Cloak
Monday, June 3, 13

78. Invisibility: Theory & Practice - Balticon, May 25th 2013 http://timeandquantummechanics.com
Seeing the
invisible
Monday, June 3, 13

79. Invisibility: Theory & Practice - Balticon, May 25th 2013 http://timeandquantummechanics.com
Seeing the
invisible
•It’s all about the math
Monday, June 3, 13

80. Invisibility: Theory & Practice - Balticon, May 25th 2013 http://timeandquantummechanics.com
Seeing the
invisible
•It’s all about the math
•Brains at play
Monday, June 3, 13

81. Invisibility: Theory & Practice - Balticon, May 25th 2013 http://timeandquantummechanics.com
Seeing the
invisible
•It’s all about the math
•Brains at play
•Any sufficiently
advanced science will
look like magic
Monday, June 3, 13

82. Invisibility: Theory & Practice - Balticon, May 25th 2013 http://timeandquantummechanics.com
Be Seeing You
Monday, June 3, 13

83. Invisibility: Theory & Practice - Balticon, May 25th 2013 http://timeandquantummechanics.com
Be Seeing You
•Forbes - Dazzled & Deceived - 2009 [Fun]
Monday, June 3, 13

84. Invisibility: Theory & Practice - Balticon, May 25th 2013 http://timeandquantummechanics.com
Be Seeing You
•Forbes - Dazzled & Deceived - 2009 [Fun]
•Perkowitz - Slow Light: Invisibility,
Teleportation, & Other Mysteries of Light -
2011 [Solid]
Monday, June 3, 13

85. Invisibility: Theory & Practice - Balticon, May 25th 2013 http://timeandquantummechanics.com
Be Seeing You
•Forbes - Dazzled & Deceived - 2009 [Fun]
•Perkowitz - Slow Light: Invisibility,
Teleportation, & Other Mysteries of Light -
2011 [Solid]
•Beech - Physics of Invisibility: A Story of Light
& Deception - 2011 [Lots of pictures]
Monday, June 3, 13

86. Invisibility: Theory & Practice - Balticon, May 25th 2013 http://timeandquantummechanics.com
Be Seeing You
•Forbes - Dazzled & Deceived - 2009 [Fun]
•Perkowitz - Slow Light: Invisibility,
Teleportation, & Other Mysteries of Light -
2011 [Solid]
•Beech - Physics of Invisibility: A Story of Light
& Deception - 2011 [Lots of pictures]
•Leonhardt - Geometry & Light: Science of
Invisibility - 2010 [Technical]
Monday, June 3, 13

87. Invisibility: Theory & Practice - Balticon, May 25th 2013 http://timeandquantummechanics.com
Be Seeing You
•Forbes - Dazzled & Deceived - 2009 [Fun]
•Perkowitz - Slow Light: Invisibility,
Teleportation, & Other Mysteries of Light -
2011 [Solid]
•Beech - Physics of Invisibility: A Story of Light
& Deception - 2011 [Lots of pictures]
•Leonhardt - Geometry & Light: Science of
Invisibility - 2010 [Technical]
Monday, June 3, 13