Science Fiction
Dictionary
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
 |
Hide An Event With Temporal Cloaking
A demonstration of temporal cloaking by researchers from the School of Applied and Engineering Physics, Cornell University, has been published in Nature. The authors propose to create a "time hole" to hide the occurrence of an event from the observer.
(Temporal cloaking device setup)
The key to the process is what's being termed a split time lens, which is matched with a dispersive medium. When activated, the lens takes the light that comes before the point of cloaking and shifts it to bluer wavelengths, which travel faster through the dispersive medium than the base speed of the light in the same medium. At the cloak point, the lens switches, shifting the light beam to longer, redder wavelengths. These travel through the dispersive medium more slowly.The end result is that a gap develops in the beam of light as the blue light races ahead and the red light slows down. In this cloaking device, that gap maxes out at about 50 picoseconds, long enough for a very brief event to occur (in this case, the event was simply an interaction with a pulse from another laser). The light can then be sent through a dispersive medium with the opposite effect, slowing the bluish light back down while accelerating the red.
By the time it exits the device, the gap has been sealed back up and the effects of the wavelength shifts reversed. Any events that took place during the 50 picosecond gap (as long as they occur in both the right place and time) never happened, at least as far as the light beam that exits is concerned.
Star Trek fans may recall the Temporal Cold War, in which several time-traveling factions, each from different points in time, sought to manipulate history for its own benefit.
The Krenim weapon ship has a beam that can push objects out of the spacetime continuum, thereby erasing them from history. Archer and Daniels are shown below in the Temporal Observatory, a holigraphic representation of the timestream projected by a hand-held device.
(Archer and Daniel in the Temporal Observatory)
Read more at Ars Technica; thanks to Moira for sharing the tip and reference for this story.
Scroll down for more stories in the same category. (Story submitted 1/6/2012)
Follow this kind of news @Technovelgy.| Email | RSS | Blog It | Stumble | del.icio.us | Digg | Reddit |
Would
you like to contribute a story tip?
It's easy:
Get the URL of the story, and the related sf author, and add
it here.
Comment/Join discussion ( 3 )
Related News Stories - (" Engineering ")
Pivotal Blackfly Electric Aircraft Lifts And Hovers
'That explains how it was so easy for me to remain motionless in midair...' - RH Roman, 1929.
Tiny Flying Robot Weighs Just One Gram
'Aerostat meant anything that hung in the air. This was an easy trick to pull off nowadays.' - Neal Stephenson, 1995.
Some Ringworld Configurations Are Stable
'The Ringworld had no horizon. There was no line where the land curved away from the sky.'
Darpa 'Defiant' Unmanned Autonomous Ship
There was no wheel, and no steersman!' - Miles J. Breuer, 1930.
Technovelgy (that's tech-novel-gee!) is devoted to the creative science inventions and ideas of sf authors. Look for the Invention Category that interests you, the Glossary, the Invention Timeline, or see what's New.
Science Fiction
Timeline
1600-1899
1900-1939
1940's 1950's
1960's 1970's
1980's 1990's
2000's 2010's
Current News
Nuclear Plant Restarted To Power AI To Feed Us Dreams
'...Anything was possible in my imaginary environment.'
SpaceX's Starman Tesla Roadster In Space
'Somewhere in space, a chrome and blue automobile raced the green light of Earth.'
Pivotal Blackfly Electric Aircraft Lifts And Hovers
'That explains how it was so easy for me to remain motionless in midair...'
CORLEO Robotic Horse Concept Looks Ready To Ride
Imagine digging your heels in to a steam horse!
Who First Thought Of A Tin Foil Hat?
'We had discovered that metal was relatively impervious to the telepathic effect.'
Warp Drive Tech Back On The Menu
'Detailed plans for the construction of the Gundstetter-Halone warp drive were flowing.'
Huawei Pura X Folding Phattie Phone
Why can't we get more innovative phone configurations?
Sleep Pods At Daxing International Airport
'Do not waste your priceless company on the unappreciative folds of a sleep pod...'
Robot Baristas Learn Their Trade Without Paying Royalties
'...so we've promised him a generous pension from the royalties.'
JAXA Int Ball 2 Coming Right Along As Star Wars Remote
'Hocus-pocus religions and archaic weapons are no substitute for a good blaster at your side.'
Robot Bricklayer Or Passer-By Bricklayer?
'Oscar picked up a trowel. 'I'm the tool for the mortar,' the little trowel squeaked cheerfully.'
Robot Gas Station Attendant Pumps Gas For You
'... he waited for the robotrix attendant to finish fueling up his ship.'
Engineer Creates Crazy Motorized Track Hospital Bed
The Roujin Z system provides care to fully bedridden patients - and then some!
Tiny Flying Robot Weighs Just One Gram
'Aerostat meant anything that hung in the air. This was an easy trick to pull off nowadays.'
Some Ringworld Configurations Are Stable
'The Ringworld had no horizon. There was no line where the land curved away from the sky.'
TRANSFORM Dynamic Furniture Concept Becomes What You Need
'An adjustment panel outside the door would cause it to extrude various appurtenances in memory plastic...'
