The United States military is reportedly backing a Canadian company's development of a material that can render soldiers invisible, according to news reports.
Maple Ridge, B.C.-based Hyperstealth Biotechnology has developed "Quantum Stealth," a type of camouflage that bends light around the wearer or an object to create the illusion of invisibility.
President and CEO Guy Cramer likened the new technology to Harry Potter's invisibility cloak during a recent CNN appearance, and described its ability to easily and effectively hide a soldier in different environments.
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Hyperstealth Invisibility & Camouflage Gear
"Unless you walked right into them, you wouldn't know that they were there," he said.
The material doesn't require batteries, projectors or cameras. It is also inexpensive and lightweight, according to Hyperstealth's website.
For security reasons, the company will not provide public demonstrations, only mockup photos. But Cramer said groups within the U.S. military and Canadian military have seen the technology and can back up his claims, according to The Daily Mail.
Cramer described the material's incredible value to soldiers who carry out operations during the day, or those who are trying to evade their enemy. Beyond that, the technology could have use on a larger scale, on submarines, tanks or aircraft, for example.
"As news spreads of an invisible Canadian army which can move without detection, the psychological effect on the enemy is devastating, they never know when or even if this invisible army has them targeted or surrounded," he said."How can you hit a target you cannot see, how do you defend from the invisible?"
Cramer and his grandfather began the research company in 1999, according to The Globe and Mail. In 2002, Cramer saw the Canadian Forces' updated camouflage, deemed it a waste of taxpayer money, and uploaded his own creations to the Internet, sparking interest in his designs. The company has since developed an impressive portfolio of projects across many countries, but 'Quantum Stealth' really catches the eye, so to speak.