Invisibility Cloak Spinoff Marks Commercial Debut with Fractal Metamaterials

FUTURISTIC FRACTAL--- Fractal Antenna Systems’ FM/R metamaterial and antenna technology, a spinoff of invisibility cloaks, makes debut at CES (Photo: Business Wire).

BEDFORD, Mass.--()--A spinoff of invisibility cloak technology has finally seen the lights and glitz of Las Vegas, as Fractal Antenna Systems, Inc. (FRACTAL) debuted its breakthrough fractal metamaterial technology (FM/R) at the CES. Looking like a prop from a futuristic movie, the FM/R technology was a showcased innovation, with its unique ability to improve RF performance in wireless platforms, enhance existing wireless devices, and enable new ones previously unattainable.

FM/R technology is used to control and enhance antennas, or to take the place of the antenna itself. It is particularly suited for size compromised and small-space wireless electronics and IoT applications, as well as point to point antennas and antenna arrays used in public safety, SCADA, cell, and other fields. FM/R technology can be enabling to smart clothing, harvesting, charging, wearables, routers, drones, smart cars, and smart cities, and many others, rendering most other antenna options antiquated in modern commercial applications.

The FM/R technology is a spinoff of the firm’s all-inclusive, publicly demonstrated and peer-reviewed invention of the invisibility cloak and deflector shield, recently patented as US 9,847,583, and others. What thus started out as a microwave science project quickly became recognized as providing practical benefits unrelated to Harry Potter’s famous, fictional cloak.

The heart of the new FM/R technology is the firm’s proprietary patented (US 9,482,474, 9,638,479, 9,677,824 and many patents pending) fractal metamaterials. Often looking like a hi-tech doily, FM/R’s fractal patterns of mini-antennas make close-spaced resonators that capture, spatially compress, and repeat the radio waves to guide, collect, diffuse, and/or and magnify.

Using evanescent surface waves (ESW), the FM/R technology took a hitherto inefficient and obscure physics phenomenon and made it into a now highly useful, high performance form of ‘radiative transfer’. Drawing the analogy of ESW’s prior image as a lemon, FM/R makes ESW a highly profitable lemon grove.

The scientific debut of FM/R, including FRACTAL’s famous public demonstrations, was presented at the Technical Symposium of the Radio Club of America, last November, winning top prize for its technical presentation. Acceptance of the FM/R technology has been rapid and brisk, in uses as diverse as wireless electronics, RFID, electronic warfare, and surveillance.

Notes FRACTAL CEO Nathan Cohen: “It’s as if folks had all kinds of wireless problems they needed to solve, and suddenly we’ve come along with the FM/R solution, without the prior ability to even know about the problems. We had our head stuck in an invisibility cloak. But we listened to the end users and learned their needs. Now we are blessed to help with all these horizontal applications of our cool new fractal metamaterial technology.

“We gave Harry Potter a day job.”

ABOUT FRACTAL ANTENNA SYSTEMS, INC.

Fractal Antenna Systems, Inc. (www.fractenna.com) supplies products and solutions for the world's most demanding wireless, electromagnetic, and electronic applications. Backed by over five dozen U.S., and international patents, plus dozens of patents pending, FRACTAL is the recognized pioneer in fractal technology, with extensive research and field experience over 22 years in business. The company is a privately held and headquartered in Bedford, Massachusetts, USA.

Contacts

Fractal Antenna Systems, Inc.
Valerie Smith, 781-275-2300
vsmith@fractenna.com

Contacts

Fractal Antenna Systems, Inc.
Valerie Smith, 781-275-2300
vsmith@fractenna.com