GoKawiilUIUC researchers build first 3D thermal cloak to beat infrared cameras
Engineers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, working with a professor at the Technical University of Denmark, built and tested a three-dimensional thermal cloak that hides objects from infrared cameras regardless of which direction heat approaches from. The device reroutes heat around a concealed object rather than blocking it, producing a surface temperature pattern that makes the object invisible to thermal imaging while keeping its internal temperature stable. The work, led by professor Shelly Zhang with researchers Weichen Li and Yibo Wang, appears in Nature Communications.
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Earlier thermal cloaks only worked in two dimensions or for heat coming from a single direction, so demonstrating a fully 3D version could remove a major practical barrier to real-world use. The researchers suggest potential applications in cooling microchips, shielding sensitive electronics from heat damage, and masking equipment's thermal signature, though these uses remain speculative rather than demonstrated. The achievement also points to progress in transformation thermotics, a materials science approach to controlling how heat moves through structures.
- First tested 3D thermal cloak hides objects from infrared cameras from any heat direction.
- Developed by University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign researchers with a Technical University of Denmark collaborator.
- Potential uses include microchip cooling, electronics protection, and reducing thermal detectability of equipment.
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See FLIR ONE Pro Thermal Camera on Amazon → Affiliate link — we may earn a commission on purchases, at no extra cost to you. Product picked by AI based on this article; it is not a tested recommendation.Source: sciencedaily.com, 2026-10-30
Published there as: “New 3D thermal invisibility cloak makes objects disappear from infrared cameras”
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