Firmly departing from the Stuff Of Dreams category, Duke University physicists have successfully tested an acoustic cloaking device that fools sound waves while looking nowhere near as scifi as you’d think. Layering nothing greater than a group of hole-punched plastic sheets — referred to as meta-materials, for those curious — atop a 10 centimeter long block of wood, highly-directed sound within the 1 – 4kHz range bounced right back into the ether none the wiser. The cloaking tech owes a number of its origin to the mathematics behind transformation optics — and perhaps to the Duke team, too. Besides allowing defense department bunkers to erupt into silent applause, the research should prove useful within the construction of future concert halls. DIY hobbyists, tell us what you are able to rig up with some trash bags.
[Thanks, Drew]
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