Russia Makes A Real-Life Harry Potter ‘Invisibility Cloak’
Russia has unveiled new camouflage technology that is being likened to a Harry Potter-style "invisibility cloak."
Developed by HiderX, the cloaks allegedly completely hide wearers from heat-detection cameras, the military tech firm claimed to Russian state-owned news agency TASS.
This military technology, referred to as "cloak-nevidimka," aligns with the Russian doctrine of "maskirovka," which translates in English to "disguise," according to strategic military intelligence analyst Rebekah Koffler.
"The idea is to fool the adversary about everything you do -- mislead him about the presence, position and size of troops, timing and place of attack, prevent him from distinguishing types of military hardware," the "Putin's Playbook" author told Fox News Digital.
HiderX described its "completely new" tech as a camouflage suit coated with an undisclosed "specific mixture" designed to dilute the soldier's silhouette. Weighing approximately 350 grams, the suit can be folded and fit into a pocket.
It operates by concealing the heat signature of the wearer, effectively camouflaging Russian soldiers from heat-seeking devices.
"The suit screens the surrounding temperature of the objects. It effectively camouflages Russian soldiers against hostile heat seekers," HiderX told TASS.
HiderX claimed that ongoing trials, set to conclude at the end of January, have showcased the suit's effectiveness.
Citing information from Russian outlets, Koffler said the complete suit comprises a hood, cap and special glasses, offering effective cover even at a distance as close as two meters.
The material consists of three layers: an internal layer reflecting infrared radiation from the user's body, a middle layer absorbing infrared radiation and an external layer reflecting infrared radiation from the environment.
"There's a reason why the Russians want us to know that they've got this," Koffler told Fox News Digital. "It doesn't mean they are lying."
The "cloak-nevidimka" draws parallels with the fictional Cloak of Invisibility from the "Harry Potter" series, a magical artifact that renders the wearer invisible.
In "Sorcerer's Stone," Harry Potter received the Cloak as a Christmas gift from an anonymous sender, who was later revealed to be Albus Dumbledore.
He then used it to sneak into the forbidden section of the library at Hogwarts and to escape the numerous sticky situations in the proceeding years.
While Russia has made strides in this technology, it is not the only country exploring real-world "invisibility cloaks."
Last year, Chinese scientists demonstrated an "invisibility" technology involving a material called "lenticular grating," the Global Times reported. The technology reportedly works by allowing light to be refracted regularly.
Additionally, researchers from Jilin and Tsinghua Universities in China proposed a hybrid material named "Chimera," according to First Post. The scientists drew inspiration from the color-changing abilities of chameleons and bearded dragons, as well as the natural invisibility of glass frogs to develop the metamaterial, which they said would make wearers undetectable in various terrains.