3D CLOAK SENDS HEAT THE LONG WAY ROUNDResearchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the Technical University of Denmark have developed a free-form 3D thermal cloak that can hide complex objects from infrared detection. 3D-printed aluminum lattice guides heat around protected inner core | images: courtesy of UIUC and DTUALUMINUM LATTICE GIVES HEAT A DETOURThe cloak combines a 3D-printed aluminum lattice with PDMS, a rubber-like material that conducts very little heat. The aluminum forms carefully positioned routes through the structure, while the softer material slows heat down elsewhere. After an hour, infrared images showed heat flowing around the inner object and returning to a nearly uninterrupted pattern outside the cloak, whether it travelled vertically or horizontally. Beyond infrared concealment, the technology could help redirect heat around delicate sensors, electronic components, batteries, or equipment exposed to extreme temperatures.