In the past years, invisibility cloaks were developed for various senses. Objects can be hidden from light, heat or sound. However, hiding of an object from being touched still remained to be accomplished. Scientists have now succeeded in creating a volume in which an object can be hidden from touching similar to a pea under the mattress of a princess.

In the invisibility cloak produced, a hard cylinder is inserted into the bottom layer. Any objects to be hidden can be put into its cavity. If a light foam or many layers of cotton would be placed above the hard cylinder, the cylinder would be more difficult to touch, but could still be felt as a form. The metamaterial structure directs the forces of the touching finger such that the cylinder is hidden completely.

“It is like in Hans-Christian Andersen’s fairy tale about the princess and the pea. The princess feels the pea in spite of the mattresses. When using our new material, however, one mattress would be sufficient for the princess to sleep well,” Bückmann explains. (1)

On senses we have built our world.

We believe our eyes. We believe our ears. We believe our hands.

We have started to question our eyes. We have started to question our ears. We now start questioning our touch.

But all senses are basically the same: Through a medium our body touches something. Through the eyes, the ears, the nose, the fingers. Every time we sense something, we “touch” something. Search your feelings. You know it is true. What you touch is not there. The most important things are untouchable. The most important things are invisible. The most important things are said in silence…

Touch me. Am I real?