Is the World Ready for Invisibility?

Science Fiction has provided us with some whimsical ideas that are now becoming a reality. One of the neatest has got to be invisibility. While it may not be in the manner that our predecessors had imagined, we have achieved the ability to mask humans and objects. It goes without saying that the military is implementing some form of invisibility. Will this technology ever be available to the general public? Is it too dangerous?

Transparent items have been invisible for years, but that’s not really that cool. Camouflage can make a hunter invisible to his prey, but that only works when you are in green and brown surroundings. But in the 21st century, we can now effectively eliminate objects from the sight of the casual observer. The process seems rather simple when you think about it: A number of nano-cameras on one side, with an LED screen assembly on the other.

Mercedes recently wanted to make a statement about their new Hydrogen powered vehicle being “invisible to the environment”, so they outfitted it with over $100k in equipment to make it blend into it’s surroundings.

If this technology goes mainstream, it will be every creep, prankster, and anti-social human being’s dream come true. Is an invisibility jacket something that it will be legal to sell in stores and online? If not, how can we stop an amateur from creating a similar device to commit a crime? Should invisibility be illegal? How can we regulate it? On the lighter side, what are some clever uses for invisibility that come to mind?

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