The InvisDefense “invisibility cloak” was created by a group of university students in China. It is a high-tech coat that uses special materials to make the wearer “invisible” to security cameras. The peculiarity of this camouflage is that it tricks Artificial Intelligence into thinking that the person wearing it is not even human.
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At Wuhan University, a team designed InvisDefense to help people avoid detection by AI-powered security cameras. But unlike in the Harry Potter movies, magic isn't responsible for his invisibility.
To the naked eye, it looks like any other coat. But upon closer inspection, you'll notice that the fabric is made of special patterns that help humans blend in and not be detected by machines. The coat's patterns blind AI cameras during the day, while at night it emits heat signals to confuse infrared cameras.
InvisDefense's new coating is also strong enough to disrupt some detection systems in self-driving cars . However, it wouldn't fool surveillance camera operators or drivers.
The project's supervisor, Professor Wang Zheng, told the South China Morning Post: "Today, many surveillance devices can detect human bodies. Many modern cameras have functions that allow them to detect pedestrians, while smart cars can often detect roads and obstacles."
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Invisdefense allows cameras to record you without being able to tell if you are human. It is the first of its kind to avoid pedestrian detection, and it took the team over 700 failures to achieve this. Winning first place in the Huawei and presenting it at the AAAI 2023 AI in February are just two of the many successes of this project.
Security cameras are an effective way to protect public spaces from theft and vandalism. They offer increased visibility, act as a deterrent to criminals, provide evidence collection in the event of an incident, and also save money in the long run by preventing incidents from occurring in the first place. However, the increasing impact they have on privacy has many concerned.
The great coat isn't too expensive either. Wei Hui, the PhD student behind the algorithm behind the coat, has calculated that each coat would cost just 500 yuan (£59). The real appeal of Invisdefense is its ability to blend in with its surroundings, making it stand out in its industry.
“In the past, researchers used bright images to trick machine vision and that worked… however, it is more noticeable to human eyes and makes the user even more visible,” explained Wei Hui. We design patterns that cannot be perceived by computer vision, using algorithms. The “invisibility cloak” is important for military purposes.
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Invisdefense's technology, if used in uniforms, could allow soldiers to avoid detection by drones or artificial intelligence units – changing the way wars are fought.
