

How to Disappear - 0_o
http://www.economist.com/science/tq/displaystory.cfm?story_id=11999355

======
jonas_b
My experience from the armed forces is that cool new gear is always nice, but
you should never become dependent on it because if it could fail in a battle
environment, it's quite likely that it will.

Moreover, additional equipment requires more battery power which means more
weight, something that troops already struggle with.

Another trap of fancy gear is that it could increase the perceived distance
between you and the residents in the area you're supposed to operate in. Think
of it, what would you think if somebody with a massive bullet-proof vest,
invisible cloak, night-vision googles and a grenade launcher came walking by
your house one night? Winning the hearts and minds of the people around you is
critical for any operation, and if you walk around look like inspector gadget,
it's easy to forget that the bling in the battle vest isn't your primary life
insurance.

------
iamwil
The last paragraph was the most interesting. It's like using ambient light to
spot something, rather than shining a spotlight out into the field.

Makes me wonder if there are other ways to take advantage of this.

~~~
nsrivast
Haven't you seen the Dark Knight?

------
dkokelley
As a bonus, how many faces can you spot in the image at the top? I'm at 6 or
maybe 7.

But seriously, these technologies are really interesting. The "shadow" of
stealth bombers through standard cell waves is interesting. Eventually they
may create a plane that emits white noise to cover up it's shadow.

~~~
ryanmahoski
Good catch - I count 7: <http://100.s3.amazonaws.com/camo.jpg>

~~~
mleonhard
Is there a person looking through binoculars midway between 4, 5, and 6?

~~~
ryanmahoski
Yes, I think you're right. Updated.

------
noahlt
I always wondered if the researchers ended up concluding that pixellized camo
was the best simply as a result of their using digital hardware to run the
experiments.

I mean, come on, _nothing_ is pixellized like that in the wild.

------
cellis
How to create wealth: get a government contract and persuade them that they
need your software. Charge massive license and consulting fees.

------
dood
How not to be seen: <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4ZnGprplKU>

