Students from the University of Karlsruhe in Germany have been experimenting with a very unique new type of modular housing unit.

That's good for their self-esteem, " remarks Andreas Lindner, a psychologist who works at the Muenzesheim Therapy Centre, near Karlsruhe, a specialized hospital for men suffering from addictions.

"For now these...cloaking devices are just a beautiful and exciting benchmark to show what transformation optics can do," said Tolga Ergin of the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology.

At Germany's Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, chemist Peter Stemmermann says his lab has an approach that will do both.

"For now these...cloaking devices are just a beautiful and exciting benchmark to show what transformation optics can do," said Tolga Ergin of the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology.