Mirror can distort reality - new discovery
Engineers at the University of California, Los Angeles have created an experimental 'trick mirror' that can deliberately show the reflection of another object instead of what is actually in front of it. The technology works passively, without electricity or a display, and is based on a surface with microscopic structures that change the phase of light. In simulations, the system turned images of clothing into a bag and numbers into an eight. A physical prototype successfully transformed handwritten symbols into a predetermined image. However, real-world application is far off: experiments were conducted in a laboratory with coherent light. Potential areas include camouflage, security, defense, and entertainment.
Engineers at the University of California, Los Angeles have created an experimental 'trick mirror' that can deliberately show the reflection of another object instead of what is actually in front of it. This is reported by Science Alert. Instead of simply reflecting the object before it, the new optical system transforms the light emanating from it and forms a pre-selected image in the mirror. The technology works passively—it requires no electricity, display, or software image processing. It is based on a special surface with microscopic structures that change the phase of reflected light. To find the right configuration, scientists use deep learning methods, calculating the surface shape for a predetermined image. Once created, such a mirror is effectively 'programmed' for one specific visual image. In computer simulations, the technology could turn images of various clothing items into a bag, handwritten digits into an eight, and simple drawings into an image of a panda. Later, scientists created a physical prototype programmed to display the digit 8. However, real-world application is still far off: experiments were conducted in a laboratory under strictly controlled conditions, and the system worked with coherent light. One promising application could be camouflage: instead of physically hiding an object, the system would replace its image with a neutral picture. Potential areas of use include security, defense, and entertainment.