Darpa funds invisible, shoot-through shield

In a move seemingly influenced in equal parts by Halo and David Lynch's film Dune, Darpa has announced that it's ponying up $15 million to develop one-way-invisible, self-healing, shoot-through shields for use in urban combat. While the Pentagon's research division acknowledges that there are "significant technical obstacles" in the process, it's fairly gung-ho about developing a technology combining metamaterials, 'coded' obscurant systems, and a bunch of other stuff no one really understands. Trust us, you'll thank them if the Harkonens try and overthrow your spice-mining operation.

[Via Digg]

[(Unverified) Posted Jun 22nd 2007 1:39PM]

Now if only the goverment can get Norma Cenva working on how to make the shields not overheat... I am gald to see a few other Dune geeks around here - thought I was the only one.

[(Unverified) Posted Jun 22nd 2007 2:51PM]

"one-way-invisible, self-healing, shoot-through shields"

Which way do you put it on? If you put it on backwards, you can't see, can't shoot out, but other people can hurt you...

[(Unverified) Posted Jun 22nd 2007 5:59PM]

You know, there IS this stuff out there called Transparent Alumina. PAY ATTENTION MOAR.

[(Unverified) Posted Jun 25th 2007 1:25PM]

Well, I'd rather be spending money on this (stupid Bush), rather than (Genius) Clinton's, "Gay Bomb." You couldn't even use a "Gay Bomb" in the military; "don't ask don't tell." Is there a pilot who would actually fly with a "Gay Bomb," it might ruin moral?
DARPA turns sci-fi into reality people.

[(Unverified) Posted Jun 29th 2007 11:03PM]

I love all the detractors who say it's impossible. How many "impossible" technologies have DARPA developed? Dozens? Hundreds? I'm betting on DARPA. Will it take more than 15m? Probably. Is this a start, and do they have an earnest chance of being successful in the long run? Absolutely. "Too early," "Impossible," HA! DARPA is the best in the business at what they do. The internet you're using is a perfect example.

[(Unverified) Posted Jun 29th 2007 11:01PM]

I love it when people who think they know what they're talking about, but really don't have a f---ing clue, try to assert why things can't be done. How many times in history those kinds of people have eaten crow...

[(Unverified) Posted Jun 30th 2007 4:40AM]

I think they're talking invisible as in you can't see the SHIELD, not you can't see the USER. As for one-way, you can already do that with one-way laminated glass. Gluey plastic on one side, glass on the other. The bullet gets slowed by the gluey plastic to the point where it can't penetrate the glass, but if it goes through the glass first, it can escape the glue. Or something like that. Self-healing can already be done by sticking small capsules of glue and activator inside the matrix of glass. If a capsule is broken, it expands and sets the glue, reforming a layer of polymer.

Ergo, it's possible, but there will be technical hurdles (i.e. deploying the damn thing).

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 5th 2007 10:56PM]

no offence to anybody, but this is direct to everybody, including americans. But if this thing realy does get invented and is succesful......does nobody think the USA's military power is getting a bit out of hand? Like...serously? not even a little?