US
researchers have demonstrated the
world's
first three-dimensional acoustic cloak which reroutes sound waves to create the
impression that the cloak and anything beneath it are not there.
The acoustic cloaking device works in all
three dimensions, no matter which direction the sound is coming from or where
the observer is located, and holds potential for future applications such as
sonar avoidance and architectural acoustics, researchers said.
"The
particular trick we're performing is hiding an object from sound waves,"
said Steven Cummer, professor of electrical and computer engineering at Duke
University.