Tokyo professor working on Invisibility Technology

Yahoo! News ^

[spetznaz]

NEW YORK - A University of Tokyo professor claims he and his research team have developed a system that can make you 'invisible.'

Engineering Professor Susumu Tachi is in the early stages of technology that he says will eventually enable camouflaged objects to be virtually transparent by wearing an optical device.

Professor Tachi demonstrated the technology on Wednesday. In a photo of graduate student Kazutoshi Obana, it appears as if three men walking in the background can be seen 'through' Obana's green overcoat.

The retroreflective material of the coat acts as a screen and gives a transparent - or invisible - effect.

For the best effect - one that keeps the correct depth of focus - the observer needs to look through a pinhole.

Tachi's second example shows the image of the skeleton being projected onto a sheet of the retroreflective material, giving the impression the body has become transparent.

The technology could be useful in medicine, where surgeons might use it during operations to avoid having their fingers or surgical tools block their view.

In aviation, cockpit floors could become 'invisible' to assist pilots in landing.

Professor Tachi hopes to have a commercially viable system within a few years.

Is he 'The Invisible Man' by H.G. Wells? It looks like as if three men walking behind are seen through the body of graduate student Kazutoshi Obana during a demonstration of optical camouflage technology at the Tokyo University in Tokyo Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2003. The demonstration conducted by Faculty of Engineering Prof. Susumu Tachi is an early stage of his research that will eventually enable camouflaged objects virtually transparent by wearing an optical device. This photo was taken through a viewfinder that provides with a combined image of moving images taken behind Obana and him wearing a luminous jacket that makes a transparent effect. The technology can be useful for various professions such as surgeons who wish their own fingers and surgical tools won't block the view of affected parts and pilots who wish cockpit floors were transparent for landings

[JustAnAmerican]

Thanks for the info, Seems the original Project was called "Project Rainbow".

[JustAnAmerican]

Lol, did not realize so many responded, will teach me to read all posts :) Thanks fo the info.

[hoosierham]

I just can't see this happening.

[TheLurkerX]

Yep. That's why it's pretty much useless. Unless your looking at it from a specific angle, it's worthless.

[TheLurkerX]

[sic] you're, that is.

[Stultis]

Naval Historical Center FAQ on this nonsense (excerpt):

The "Philadelphia Experiment"

Related resources::

Office of Naval Research (ONR) fact sheet
UFO Research Guide
Photograph of USS Eldridge

Allegedly, in the fall of 1943 a U.S. Navy destroyer was made invisible and teleported from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to Norfolk, Virginia, in an incident known as the Philadelphia Experiment. Records in the Operational Archives Branch of the Naval Historical Center have been repeatedly searched, but no documents have been located which confirm the event, or any interest by the Navy in attempting such an achievement.

The ship involved in the experiment was supposedly the USS Eldridge. Operational Archives has reviewed the deck log and war diary from Eldridge's commissioning on 27 August 1943 at the New York Navy Yard through December 1943. The following description of Eldridge's activities are summarized from the ship's war diary. After commissioning, Eldridge remained in New York and in the Long Island Sound until 16 September when it sailed to Bermuda. From 18 September, the ship was in the vicinity of Bermuda undergoing training and sea trials until 15 October when Eldridge left in a convoy for New York where the convoy entered on 18 October. Eldridge remained in New York harbor until 1 November when it was part of the escort for Convoy UGS-23 (New York Section). On 2 November the convoy entered Naval Operating Base, Norfolk. On 3 November, Eldridge and Convoy UGS-23 left for Casablanca where it arrived on 22 November. On 29 November, Eldridge left as one of escorts for Convoy GUS-22 and arrived with the convoy on 17 December at New York harbor. Eldridge remained in New York on availability training and in Block Island Sound until 31 December when it steamed to Norfolk with four other ships. During this time frame, Eldridge was never in Philadelphia.

Eldridge's complete World War II action report and war diary coverage, including the remarks section of the 1943 deck log, is available on microfilm, NRS-1978-26. The cost of a duplicate film is indicated on the fee schedule. To order a duplicate film, please complete the duplication order form and send a check or money order for the correct amount as indicated on the NHC fee schedule, made payable to the Department of the Navy, to the Operational Archives, at the above address.

Supposedly, the crew of the civilian merchant ship SS Andrew Furuseth observed the arrival via teleportation of the Eldridge into the Norfolk area. Andrew Furuseth's movement report cards are in the Tenth Fleet records in the custody of the Modern Military Branch, National Archives and Records Admnistration, (8601 Adelphi Road, College Park, MD 20740-6001), which also has custody of the action reports, war diaries and deck logs of all World War II Navy ships, including Eldridge. The movement report cards list the merchant ship's ports of call, the dates of the visit, and convoy designation, if any. The movement report card shows that Andrew Furuseth left Norfolk with Convoy UGS-15 on 16 August 1943 and arrived at Casablanca on 2 September. The ship left Casablanca on 19 September and arrived off Cape Henry on 4 October. Andrew Furuseth left Norfolk with Convoy UGS-22 on 25 October and arrived at Oran on 12 November. The ship remained in the Mediterranean until it returned with Convoy GUS-25 to Hampton Roads on 17 January 1944. The Archives has a letter from Lieutenant Junior Grade William S. Dodge, USNR, (Ret.), the Master of Andrew Furuseth in 1943, categorically denying that he or his crew observed any unusual event while in Norfolk. Eldridge and Andrew Furuseth were not even in Norfolk at the same time.

[Stultis]

outcome of that experiment is still kind of hush, hush.

Yea, well, they could not verify the outcome. They lost the ship.

USS Eldridge, a 1240-ton Cannon class destroyer escort built at Newark, New Jersey, was commissioned in August 1943. She was employed on escort duties in the Atlantic until May 1945, when she departed for service in the Pacific. Eldridge was decommissioned in July 1946 and placed in the Reserve Fleet. In January 1951, she was transferred to the Greek Navy, in which she served as Leon into the 1990s.

Source (same site as above) includes a picture of the ship at the tranfer ceremony.

[WriteOn]

you put it on and I'll shoot the gun...

[Elsie]

Does this translate to fake photo?

Of COURSE it does!!!

---

1. Just look at the poor vanishing point in the perspective of the lines...
2. Look how SMALL the people are on the 'coat'...
3. Notice that the SHADOWS of the two do NOT appear at the LEFT of the 'coat' on the pavement.

Fake, Scam, BS... you name it: this photo is ALL of them!!!

[dagnabbit]

It's not "fake". This coat demo was also shown on Fox News. What the article sort of glosses over, however, is that the guy is standing in front of a video projector which is projecting the scene taken by a TV camera on a tripod behind him. The special thing the coat does is to glow enough to make the projected mage plainly visible in daylight. Otherwise, a white cotton coat could be used.

[Elsie]

...scene taken by a TV camera on a tripod behind him. <./I>

I had WONDERED about that diagonal line, just below the biker's foot, that went behind the 'coat'.

I understand how that works now you've explained it. But the ZOOM on the projector should have made the imgae bigger (smaller?) on the coat.

While the technology appears like it would work, i'll ONLY do it from ONE direction and THEN only if you have a camera on one side and a projector on the other!

---

Sure not very PRACTICAL, is it!?

[Lando Lincoln]

I dunno.....I just can't see it working.

[bootyist-monk]

Actually, the US military has a version of the this a lot closer to reality than you might think. They are developing a system called adaptive camouflage that utilizes electrically charged material (similar to a wearable LCD panel) that mimics its surrounding by shifting colors at a pixel level. It also negates IR and heat signatures.

Overall effect is similar to the cloaking in "Predator".

Bootyist

[RightWingNut]

If the military would just do a little bit of homework, Burt Campbell (the late Richard Mulligan) had this perfected on SOAP over 20 years ago !! LOL

[bwteim]

The thing that pisses me off is that I came up with this about 4 years ago, and even drew up plans for it.

Lost Haiku
======
Five years ago...
I too had plans - worked so well,
Just can't locate 'em.

[GOPJ]

That was an experiment in Philadelphia -- and it was to make a ship disappear, not just "seem" to disappear. On another note, this could be old technology. I believe I saw this stuff on a plane in the late 70's.

Seems I remember something that happened around WWII, that involved using Magnetic waves to make a Destroyer/Aircraft Carrier disappear. From what I understand the outcome of that experiment is still kind of hush, hush.

[GOPJ]

That was an experiment in Philadelphia -- and it was to make a ship disappear, not just "seem" to disappear. On another note, this could be old technology. I believe I saw this stuff on a plane in the late 70's.

Seems I remember something that happened around WWII, that involved using Magnetic waves to make a Destroyer/Aircraft Carrier disappear. From what I understand the outcome of that experiment is still kind of hush, hush.

[Elsie]

Well, as soon as I can determine how the science works, I'LL be the one patenting it!

You see, there is SOME kinda of mysterious force in miniature, working around my person: for the money I place in my wallet just seems to disappear!!!

[19th LA Inf]

A simple technique for greatly reducing visibility of antisub aircraft was developed about 1943. A row of lights was mounted on or near the wing leading edge, set up so that the brightness could be adjusted to match the background brightness of the sky, making the aircraft practically invisible from directly ahead, as viewed from the sub's deck when the plane was attacking. About that time the subs began to carry radar, which eliminated most of the advantages.

[Cvengr]

Man o man, I've been waiting a long time to see this.