Optical CamouflageOptical Camouflage

SUMMARYSUMMARY Mankind always sensed the Mankind always sensed the

milestones of science as wonders. milestones of science as wonders. Designing of things and Designing of things and

applications that the humans may applications that the humans may not even dream of had become the not even dream of had become the ultimate aim of the scientists and ultimate aim of the scientists and researchers. researchers.

Here , we present one of such creative Here , we present one of such creative and awesome technology that emerged and awesome technology that emerged as a landmark in the field of artificial as a landmark in the field of artificial intelligence.intelligence.

Here we describes a kind of active Here we describes a kind of active camouflage system named camouflage system named Optical Optical Camouflage. Camouflage.

Initially, camouflage is made understood Initially, camouflage is made understood and then the theory of optical and then the theory of optical camouflage is developed .camouflage is developed .

What Is Camouflage ?What Is Camouflage ? Camouflage is the method which Camouflage is the method which

allows visible organism or object to allows visible organism or object to remain indiscernible from the remain indiscernible from the surrounding environment.surrounding environment.

Camouflage is a form of deceptionCamouflage is a form of deception Example:Example: Tiger's stripes and the Tiger's stripes and the

battledress of a modern soldier. battledress of a modern soldier.

Theory of Camouflage:Theory of Camouflage:

MacKay's statement remains one of the MacKay's statement remains one of the most important elements in the theory most important elements in the theory of camouflage of camouflage

An exact match with the environment's An exact match with the environment's colors.colors.

Ideally, camouflage should be made to Ideally, camouflage should be made to break up and thereby conceal the break up and thereby conceal the structural lines of the object which it structural lines of the object which it hides. hides.

The patterns often seen on The patterns often seen on camouflage clothing, masking cloth camouflage clothing, masking cloth and vehicle paints are carefully and vehicle paints are carefully constructed to deceive the human eye constructed to deceive the human eye by breaking up the boundaries that by breaking up the boundaries that define sharp edges and human define sharp edges and human silhouettes. silhouettes.

Where the idea of optical Where the idea of optical camouflage comes from ?camouflage comes from ?

A A meteorologistmeteorologist makes the mistake of makes the mistake of wearing a blue outfit to work one day. wearing a blue outfit to work one day. When he walks in front of the When he walks in front of the blue screenblue screen to film the to film the weatherweather report, his arms appear report, his arms appear to have vanished, leaving only a floating to have vanished, leaving only a floating pair of hands. This scenario, which you pair of hands. This scenario, which you might recognize from the 1993 comedy might recognize from the 1993 comedy "Groundhog Day," is an optical "Groundhog Day," is an optical camouflage in a nutshell.camouflage in a nutshell.

What is Optical Camouflage?What is Optical Camouflage? Optical camouflage is a kind of active Optical camouflage is a kind of active camouflage.camouflage. If we project background image onto the If we project background image onto the masked object, we can observe the masked object masked object, we can observe the masked object just as if it were virtually transparent. just as if it were virtually transparent. Optical camouflage would only provide Optical camouflage would only provide invisibility in the visible portion of the spectrum. invisibility in the visible portion of the spectrum.

Optical Camouflage uses the Retro-reflective Optical Camouflage uses the Retro-reflective Projection Technology, a projection-based Projection Technology, a projection-based augmented–reality system, composed of a augmented–reality system, composed of a projector with a small iris and a retro projector with a small iris and a retro reflective screen .reflective screen .

The concept of optical camouflage is The concept of optical camouflage is straightforward: “straightforward: “To create the illusion of To create the illusion of invisibility by covering an object with invisibility by covering an object with something that projects the scene directly something that projects the scene directly behind that object”behind that object”..

Example -1 of an optical Example -1 of an optical camouflagecamouflage

Example -2 of an optical camouflageExample -2 of an optical camouflage

Interesting Funny FactInteresting Funny Fact Optical Optical

camouflage camouflage delivers a delivers a similar similar experience to experience to Harry Potter s Harry Potter s invisibility cloak invisibility cloak

How does it work?How does it work? The most intriguing prototype uses an The most intriguing prototype uses an

external camera placed behind the cloaked external camera placed behind the cloaked object to record a scene, which it then object to record a scene, which it then transmits to a computer for image processing. transmits to a computer for image processing.

The computer feeds the image into an The computer feeds the image into an external projector which projects the image external projector which projects the image onto a person wearing a special retro onto a person wearing a special retro reflective coat. reflective coat.

Creating complete optical camouflage across Creating complete optical camouflage across the visible light spectrum would require a the visible light spectrum would require a coating or suit covered in tiny cameras and coating or suit covered in tiny cameras and projectors, programmed to gather visual data projectors, programmed to gather visual data from a multitude of different angles and from a multitude of different angles and project the gathered images outwards in an project the gathered images outwards in an equally large number of different directions equally large number of different directions to give the illusion of invisibility from all to give the illusion of invisibility from all angles angles

Although the suit described above would Although the suit described above would provide a convincing illusion to the naked eye provide a convincing illusion to the naked eye of a human observerof a human observer

What Is An Invisibility cloak ?What Is An Invisibility cloak ? It is a garment that resembles a It is a garment that resembles a

hooded raincoat. hooded raincoat. The cloak that enables optical The cloak that enables optical

camouflage to work is made from a camouflage to work is made from a special material known as Retro-special material known as Retro-reflective material.reflective material.

A retro-reflective A retro-reflective material is covered material is covered with thousands and with thousands and thousands of small thousands of small beads. When light beads. When light strikes one of these strikes one of these beads, the light rays beads, the light rays bounce back exactly bounce back exactly

in the same direction in the same direction from which they from which they came.came.

ADVANTAGEADVANTAGE

Optical Camouflage can be used on Optical Camouflage can be used on surgical globes or equipments so they surgical globes or equipments so they don’t block surgeon’s view during don’t block surgeon’s view during delicate operations.delicate operations.

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

Technical AdvantagesTechnical Advantages The need for the camouflage aspect of this The need for the camouflage aspect of this

system arises out of the present state of the system arises out of the present state of the art of military camouflage in the visible light art of military camouflage in the visible light spectrum which is generally limited to spectrum which is generally limited to techniques involving painting, coloring, techniques involving painting, coloring, and/or contour shaping to allow an object to and/or contour shaping to allow an object to better blend in with the background; such better blend in with the background; such methods do little to conceal moving objects as methods do little to conceal moving objects as their appearance must be constantly their appearance must be constantly controlled from the viewpoint of the observer controlled from the viewpoint of the observer to blend in with the changing background. to blend in with the changing background.

DISADVANTAGESDISADVANTAGES• The weak point of this technique The weak point of this technique

is that the observer needs to look is that the observer needs to look through a half-mirror. through a half-mirror.

• The current system needs a half The current system needs a half mirror and projectors, which mirror and projectors, which were fixed on the ground were fixed on the ground

• Wrinkles in the materialWrinkles in the material..

CONCLUSION CONCLUSION Now all of us have had a small tour of the Now all of us have had a small tour of the

interesting world of optical camouflage.interesting world of optical camouflage.

A lot of interesting thing have been done and A lot of interesting thing have been done and already we have seen that anyone can be almost already we have seen that anyone can be almost invisible with this technology.invisible with this technology.

But the future promises us a lot more.But the future promises us a lot more.

Research work is going on and soon we will have Research work is going on and soon we will have even more astonishing resultseven more astonishing results..

ReferencesReferences If you want to know the mechanism of this optical If you want to know the mechanism of this optical

camouflage demonstration, please see the following :camouflage demonstration, please see the following : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/

Cloaking_deviceCloaking_device http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Active_camouflhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Active_camoufl

ageage http://objsam.wordpress.com/2008/01/30/jhttp://objsam.wordpress.com/2008/01/30/j

apanese-invisible-technology-apanese-invisible-technology- optical camouflage optical camouflage