ZAP // University of Leicester
Engineers at the University of Leicester have revealed a concept for a device designed to magnetically “cloak” sensitive components, making them invisible to detection.
A new magnetic cloaking device could make electronic components sensitive invisible to detectionoffering a potential solution to the increasing levels of interference affecting our increasingly complex technological infrastructure.
One magnetic camouflage is a device that hides or protects an object from external magnetic fields by manipulating the way they contour the object so that it behaves as if it wasn’t there.
In a new one published last week in Science Advancesa team of engineers from the University of Leicester demonstrated, for the first time, that it is possible to design practical camouflage using superconductors and soft ferromagnets, in formats that can be manufactured.
Using computational and theoretical techniquessuch as advanced mathematical modeling and high-performance simulations based on real-world parameters, researchers have developed a new framework that allows them to create magnetic camouflages for objects of any shape.
Until now, these camouflages were mainly theoretical or limited to simple geometries, such as cylinders. This study shows, for the first time, how to design magnetic camouflage for irregular geometriesthe kind we find in the real world. These camouflages also maintain their effectiveness over a wide range of field strengths and frequencies.
Magnetic camouflages can play a crucial role in protecting of sensitive electronics and sensors against magnetic interference — a growing challenge in areas ranging from medical devices to renewable energy and space technology.
Unwanted magnetic fields can disrupt the operation of precision instruments, sensors and electronic components, causing signal distortion, data errors or equipment malfunctions. This is a growing concern in environments such as hospitals, electrical networksaerospace systems and scientific laboratories, where increasingly sensitive technologies require effective protection against magnetic interference.
The research paves the way for the development of magnetic camouflages and magnetic guides adapted to specific devices or components, using materials that are now commercially available.
Potential applications include component shielding in fusion reactors, the protection of medical imaging systems (such as magnetic resonance equipment, MRI) and the isolation of quantum sensors in navigation or communications systems.
“Magnetic camouflage is no longer a futuristic concept linked to perfect analytical conditions”, says Harold Ruizresearcher at the University of Leicester and lead author of the study, in a statement published on .
“This study shows that practical, manufacturable camouflages suitable for complex geometries are within our reachenabling new generation shielding solutions for science, medicine and industry”, concludes the researcher.
