Acoustic "Superlens" Could Make Subs Invisible 136
Al writes "Nicholas Fang and colleagues at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign have created the first acoustic superlens, which could be used to create high-resolution ultrasound images, and perhaps ultimately make subs and ships invisible to sonar. Researchers have previously developed materials that bend light in ways that appear to violate the laws of physics, creating so-called optical superlenses. The acoustic superlens consists of an aluminum array of narrow-necked resonant cavities filed with water — the dimensions of the cavities are tuned to interact with ultrasound waves. When ultrasound waves move through the array, the cavities resonate and the sound is refocused."
invisible != inaudible (Score:5, Funny)
Invisicrash (Score:5, Funny)
Re:invisible != inaudible (Score:1, Funny)
Re:invisible != inaudible (Score:1, Funny)
Backwards refraction? (Score:3, Funny)
Theorists have been working on materials that bend sound waves backward for several years.
So you mean, if this technology moves forward, and ends up getting incorporated into conventional home/portable audio systems, we may be able to settle once and for all whether or not Paul is dead?
Re:invisible != inaudible (Score:5, Funny)
You must be fun at parties.
Of course not. That's why he's posting on /. instead of getting drunk and picking up chicks....
Re:invisible != inaudible (Score:5, Funny)
Oh yeah, you should come to the ultrasound imaging fridays, I'm the life of the party.
Re:invisible != inaudible (Score:5, Funny)
Capt. Bart Mancuso: All back full.
Lt. Cmdr. Thompson: Captain...
Capt. Bart Mancuso: I said, all back full!
Lt. Cmdr. Thompson: Back full, aye.
[the Dallas reverses, churning the water]
Seaman Jones: Captain, we're cavitating, he can hear us!
Capt. Bart Mancuso: No he can't we have that new super lense thingy that makes us inaudible!
Lt. Cmdr. Thompson: No Captain, you don't understand it doesn't make us inaudible to people only to sonar!!
Capt. Bar Mancuso: Oh Crap!
HoHum (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Invisicrash (Score:2, Funny)
Re:Ideas.... (Score:5, Funny)
You just have to modify the deflector array to rotate the shield harmonics. Problem solved, but you'll have to do it again every few episodes.
Just One Problem (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Save the whales! (Score:2, Funny)
Re:This brings up an important point (Score:5, Funny)
The trivial solution would be a cavity filled with water same shape and size as the submarine, at the same position as the submarine.
Re:HoHum (Score:1, Funny)
Another day, anther Slashdot cloaking device story.
I see what you did there.
Re:This brings up an important point (Score:0, Funny)
I can't believe I have to explain this, but... 'Funny' doesn't give karma - 'Interesting' does. So some people will mod a particularly funny post as 'Interesting' in order to give the commenter karma.