One of Our Favorite Superpowers Is Now a Real Possibility: Invisibility Shield 2.0

Yes, what you're witnessing today really is an invisibility shield you can buy, and you don't need to be part of some secret military sector or a closed-door think tank to do so. That's because a group of engineers and scientists, or as I like to call them, optical illusionists, has been working on what you see for over the past four years.

Now, invisibility or cloaking devices are nothing new. Aside from being the stuff of legend for decades, they've actually been around since I was in high school, about 20 years or so ago when a team of engineers out in California first produced millimeters of the stuff.

Fast-forward to today, and it would seem like there's an actual business focused around the stuff and it caters to folks like you and me, and you can understand why. What's your favorite superpower? Well, one of them is starting to become a real possibility. We'll get to how all that works shortly, but first, a bit about the minds and hands behind the magic.

In this case, that team is a crew from the UK, and just as their name would suggest, Invisibility Shield Co. (ISC) focuses on nothing more than this magical trinket, and they've been doing so for over the past four years. Oh, and if you're wondering what business you should get into, this may just be the one.

Why? Well, according to this project's Kickstarter page, ISC only asked for around $12,500 to kick things off, but with around 750 backers (at the time of writing), they've amassed over $205K! Oh, and the project still has another 24 days to go. Time to get your hands on an invisibility shield.

Now, this isn't the first time that ISC has brought something like this to the market, but this time around, it's bigger, better, lighter, and stronger. Did I mention that for around $70, you'll get your hands on the Invisibility Shield Mini that this team has in store? It's a 12 x 8-inch piece of polymer that bends light to its will.

So, how do they work? Well, I'm no optical engineer, and ISC does go to some lengths to explain how the shields work, but I'll be honest: all I was able to take away from the explanation is "refracted light." Light is moved or "bent" away from the object behind the shield, and since something only appears when light is reflected off of it, if there's no light bouncing off of the object, it can't be seen. Words like "embossing," "polymers," "lenses," "extrusion," and "diffusion" also pop up, so it's safe to say that ISC knows what the heck they're doing.

But, the real prize goes to this crew's largest shield yet, their Megashield. It's a 6-foot-tall monster that has the ability to hide an entire human, two or more at a time. It's also freestanding and portable, weighing in at only 36 lbs (16 kg). Setting it up, however, does take a bit, as this hunk of polymer also comes with a frame designed not only to support the shield but also to ensure the proper shape is maintained. You may have noticed how the larger shields in the images sit a tad curved; something to do with that refraction.

The question is, what sort of uses and applications does something like this have for people like you and me? Well, the obvious is sneaking around the neighborhood on Halloween as nothing more than a floating head; just kidding. Honestly, the possibilities are endless.

For example, photographers can take advantage of something like this to hide that fire hydrant ruining a perfect shot; a tad of editing will buff that right out. The cinematics industry can tap into a similar benefit. Up next, maybe you've got some precious piece of hardware in your backyard that you'd like to keep away from prying eyes but won't necessarily fit in your overcrowded garage. As for the military, they surely have the stuff already, so there's that. Is anyone here into magic?

Personally, I think we can do a bit better, and this is why I'm surprised to see such a project take flight; think of the possibilities that local henchmen now have to carry out their bidding. Heck, I can think of a few scenarios where this thing can prove indispensable to wrongdoers. But, then again, every great creation has its benefits and downsides.

Yet, what sort of applications does this tech have for the automotive world? Well, some of this whole light refraction or reflection tech has been used on cars before, mainly as license plate covers designed to mess with speed cameras as you're hauling butt across town or even a red light; that's a no-no. Personally, I want to see someone tatter their entire car in this stuff just to see what happens.

Regarding pricing for these babies, you already know about the Mini, but the next size up, the Full Size, is going for around $375 (£299). As for the Mega shield, this one is a tad more pricey, coming in at around $875 (£699). But those are Early Bird rates, so once that's gone, expect to pay around $410 and $960, respectively. Pretty neat stuff if you ask me.