History Main / InvisibilityCloak

* In ''Fanfic/{{Renegade}}'', invisibility technology is used by [[spoiler: Tali]] to sneak into an enemy base.

** In ''VideoGame/MetroidDread'', Samus fights the Corpius, a creature which can turn invisible. After it's defeated, the creature drops the Phantom Cloak, the piece of Chozo technology which renders it invisible, which Samus can then equip to become invisible herself.
** Shadow Pirates in ''VideoGame/MetroidPrime'' feature the "active camouflage" type of cloak (appears translucent in the visible spectrum but sticks out like a sore thumb in IR). The Omega Pirate has a "Chameleon Manta" which lets him become invisible not only to the naked eye but also to infrared and X-ray vision. The only time he can be seen when it's activated is when he absorbs the highly radioactive phazon into his body.

* In the ''WesternAnimation/InspectorGadget'' episode "A Clear Case", one of Dr. Claw's scientists invent an invisibility cloth using diamonds to deflect light. The scientist then uses the suit to haunt a diamond mine so MAD could collect enough diamonds to make suits for their agents. Unfortunately, it's then that SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome occurs as while the suits successfully make the agents invisible, due to being unable to see ''each other'', they end up bumping and hitting each other. Even worse, suits aren't proven to be durable as during a fight with Gadget, enough hard blows result in the diamond cloth turning to dust.

* In the ''WesternAnimation/InspectorGadget'' episode "A Clear Case", Dr. Claw invents an invisibility suit using diamonds to deflect light.
* Played with in one ''WesternAnimation/InvaderZim'' episode when Zim accidentally obtains a Megadoomer assault robot which can turn completely invisible. Unfortunately, the pilot does not turn invisible, leaving Zim floating in midair as he stomps his way through the neighborhood.

* ''''Franchise/{{Predator}}'''': Predators use advanced technology which renders them practically invisible. It's their main defense against their prey.

* In one episode of ''WesternAnimation/AladdinTheSeries'', lowly thief Amend Da Mula is given an arsenal of magical items by Mozenrath for a mission to turn the Sultan into a statuette, with one of them being a Belt of Invisibility. Iago, recognizing the trick, takes the belt from Amend and later uses it to get the Sultan away from the thief when he takes the form of a griffin.

%% Image selected per Image Pickin' thread: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=1360334466060260100
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* Some of ''Manga/{{Doraemon}}'s'' pocket gadgets are capable of invisibility. Fujiko F. Fujio was mindful of why true invisibility and vision didn't mix, and so the ones that can be applied to humans mostly work on perception filters.
* ''Lightnovel/FullMetalPanic'', ECS mode for 3rd generation Arm Slaves. Tessa's [=M6A1=] also had ECS despite being 2nd-gen. Website/TheOtherWiki states that ECS is based on an array of rapidly oscillating lasers. The first models only shielded against infrared but the newest stuff works against optics as well -- with the trade-off of having a strong ozone smell, attracting birds, and freaking out dogs.
** ECCS sensors can see through the camouflage and light rain makes it completely useless. It is implied that ECS draws lots of power since every time we see it in use, the Arm Slave in question is either sneaking or standing still (which is a bit strange, seeing that 3rd-gen AS units have cold fusion reactors with nearly three times higher wattage than their 2nd-gen cousins, yet both carry ECS).
** Mao was moving at a pretty good clip in the Behemoth story arc, trashing roadsigns and even "helping" Souske and Weber get their truck through a roadblock.

* ''Anime/GaoGaiGar'''s Volfogg has his built-in Holographic Camouflage, which appears to render him visually invisible as he blankets the immediate area with other forms of sensor jamming (it's depicted as both bending light and projecting a false image). The only time it's 'broken' is when he either attacks something or that one time the Zondar turned out to have the ability to dive between dimensions, as he's careful to account for environmental effects. There's an external box version of it, but it's still only Volfogg whoever uses it - and is presumably the only one who's designed to.
* ''Franchise/GhostInTheShell's'' Public Security Section 9 and a few baddies make frequent use of "thermoptic camouflage", which renders the wearer more or less invisible in both visible-light and infrared. In [[Anime/GhostInTheShell1995 the movie]], Major Kusanagi wears a skin-tight semi-transparent thermoptic suit; the various TV series have Section 9's combat uniforms thermoptic-equipped.
** [[Manga/GhostInTheShell The manga]] and the film show the characters wearing special devices to be able to see while being invisible. However, in ''[[Anime/GhostInTheShellStandAloneComplex Stand Alone Complex]]'', they are absent.
** In the manga, the camo can be disrupted by dust and rain.
** The Rangers (who were chasing S9 characters at the time) and Batou (an ex-Ranger) have [[ElectronicEyes eye implants]] designed specifically to work with thermoptic camo. This still doesn't explain how the others were able to see. Perhaps we are meant to assume that most of Section 9 have these implants.
** The Umibozu commandos in the first season of ''Stand Alone Complex'' also had thermoptic camo as well when they were ordered to hunt down the S9 operators.
*** The camo also seems to work better in the anime, even keeping the characters invisible in the snow in one episode (without leaving footprints or getting visible snow to settle on them.
** Having said that, the [=PS2=] game establishes that thermoptic camo doesn't work in areas with high humidity, and attempting to use it will cause the user to appear like a multihued silhouette.
* During the Hunter exams of ''Manga/HunterXHunter'' a minor character (a ninja) captures a giant pig by putting a rock under a camouflage cloak to get it to run into.
* Subverted in ''Last Fantasy'', where the invisible armor is invisible, and not the one wearing it. Needless to say, the armor is lost very quickly.
* Otto's Stealth Jacket in ''Franchise/LyricalNanoha'', which works more like RealLife stealth technology, rendering the user invisible to regular search magic and technology. However, as [[TheMedic Shamal]] demonstrated with [[RingOfPower Klarwind's]] more advanced sensors, it's far from infallible.

* ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamSEED'', Mirage Colloid for Gundams, ships, and mini-Death Stars.
* ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamAGE'' has a near-perfect stealth system used by Vagan for their warships and space stations, though apparently the power requirements are such that Mobile Suits cannot mount it. They also appear to be unable to attack when it's active. The Bisidian pirates managed to steal one for their own ship. [[spoiler: SID, guardian of the EXA-DB, has a more advanced version that can be mounted on a smaller frame.]]
* Kaede from ''Manga/NegimaMagisterNegiMagi'' gets one of these as her magical artifact. It's different from most of the other examples on the page in that rather than making the person merely invisible, it consumes them and ''then'' turns invisible. Inside is [[BiggerOnTheInside an entire house]]. Also [[spoiler: Natsumi's artifact makes her and anyone holding her hand completely unnoticeable.]]
* On ''Anime/PokemonTheSeriesDiamondAndPearl'', [[TheSociopath Hunter J]] flies around Sinnoh in an airship with a cloaking device.

** Akira’s fourth set of PoweredArmor has one of these (that also provides DeflectorShields). The ChameleonCamouflage cloak is cheap, resulting in many ItsProbablyNothing reactions when Akira tests it near some low level hunters, and so he only uses it for its shields.
** Akira’s sixth set of armor has a higher grade one, prompting the FriendlyShopkeeper Shizuka to tease him not to use it for peeping. He instead uses it to StealthHiBye due to [[spoiler: the [[PriceOnTheirHead 50 billion aurum price on his head]] due to going on a RoaringRampageOfRevenge on a MegaCorp executive for stealing from his friends.]]
%%* ''Anime/{{Robotech}}'', Shadow Alpha/Beta fighters.
* ''Manga/SgtFrog'': The Anti-Barrier, or the system the Keronians use to become invisible to anyone other than a select few, like the Hinatas.
** It's explained that very curious people (like the mangakas in the deadline arc, and the Hinatas early on) can see straight through it, but then it says this is how Natsumi and Fuyuki saw the Sergeant to begin with... yet Keroro had forgotten about the anti-barrier at that point. Someone slipped, or maybe Keroro's just a moron. (Hint: The latter.)

* ''Anime/VisionOfEscaflowne'', Zaibach Guymelefs had stealth cloaks.
* Helcats in the ''Franchise/{{Zoids}}'' anime with their optical camouflage, though later on this is applied to just about anything... including factories.

* ''Animation/HappyHeroes'': Doctor H. invents one in Season 2 episode 15 (which is literally titled "The Invisibility Cloak" and everything). Big M. tries to steal it, only to get Sweet S.'s pajamas instead.

* Echo, from ''Yankee Comics'', had an invisibility belt.
* Solar, who was featured in ''Captain Aero Comics'', has a "Cape of Mystery" which rendered him invisible.

[[folder:Films — Live-Action]]

* ''Film/{{Predator}}'': This is a Predator's main defense against their prey.

* As with the various ''Franchise/StarTrek'' TV shows, Cloaking technology plays a key role in several of the movies.
** In ''Film/StarTrekIIITheSearchForSpock'' and ''Film/StarTrekVTheFinalFrontier'', the cloaking devices allow Klingon villains to stalk Starfleet ships and take them by surprise. In ''Film/StarTrekIVTheVoyageHome'' the heroes instead use the cloaking device from a stolen Klingon ship to conceal themselves while visiting 20th century San Francisco. [[spoiler: The cloaked Klingon warship in ''The Final Frontier'' also ends up [[BigDamnHeroes saving the day]] when Spock convinces the Klingons to help Kirk defeat "God".]]
** ''Film/StarTrekVITheUndiscoveredCountry'' features [[spoiler: a Klingon warship that can attack while cloaked]], up until now a technological impossibility. [[spoiler: Early on the cloaked ship falsely implicates the ''Enterprise'' in an attack on the Klingon Chancellor's flagship, and during the climax the starships ''Enterprise'' and ''Excelsior'' team up to hunt down and destroy the ship as it sneaks about taking shots at both ships.]]
** ''Film/StarTrekNemesis'' features another new development of the cloaking device, [[spoiler: with Praetor Shinzon's Reman warbird ''[[SinisterScimitar Scimitar]]'' being able to not only fire her weapons while cloaked but also maintain her shields as well. His ship wrecks the ''Enterprise'' and makes short work of two Romulan warbirds that join the fight against Shinzon.]]
* ''Franchise/StarWars'': In ''Film/ThePhantomMenace'', Darth Maul's ship has a cloaking device.

* In ''Literature/ArtemisFowl'', Foaly creates an invention called Cam Foil to make the wearer of it invisible. Since it's technological rather than magic, it's prone to problems such as shorting out in rain and not being invisible to cameras. Also, the circuitry can be easily crushed and the wearer appears as a slight haze, so is still noticeable.

* In the ''Literature/SpiralArm'' novel ''In The Lion's Mouth'', Ravn recounts the use of these in the fight. After, Bridget's first guess is an AirVentPassageway escape before she deduces that in fact Ravn hid cloaks in the ventilation system, and then escaped, invisible, with her companion as soon as the door opened.

** The Doctor can make the TARDIS invisible too if he needs to keep a low profile. Leading to the 11th Doctor slamming face-first into it in "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS32E1TheImpossibleAstronaut The Impossible Astronaut]]". While he's in the Oval Office.

* In the Sci-Fi Channel series ''Series/TheInvisibleMan'', Darien Fawkes was implanted with a gland that secreted a liquid that coated him and his clothing, causing light to bend around him perfectly. Active camouflage meets PsychoSerum.

* There was an episode of ''Series/LoisAndClark: The New Adventures of Superman'' featuring a man who had invented an invisibility outfit.
* In one episode of ''Series/{{Pixelface}}'', the QM invented a hat that rendered the wearer invisible. Unfortunately, the hat itself remained visible.
* In what may very well be the earliest example of this on television, the "Manhunt in Space" serial of ''Series/RockyJonesSpaceRanger'' introduces the "Cold Light" device. The device works on an inverse of the heat mirage, where sufficiently cold light beams could render an object invisible. Remember, this was written in the '50s.
* Similar to the Muppet Labs spray above, one episode of ''Series/SesameStreet'' featured the spray-on invisibility cloak "Disappear-O".

** In Season 3 the Goa'uld system lord Nirrti used a personal cloaking device she developed (possibly reverse-engineered from the naturally phase-shifted Reetou) to try and ruin treaty negotiations between the SGC and Goa'uld. Fortunately anti-Reetou weapons could expose her.
** The Sodan used Ancient cloaking devices that rendered themselves invisible, but turned out to attract extradimensional parasites.
** In Season 9 the team discovers Arthur's Mantle, which is basically a computer that takes the user out of phase, making them invisible, even after they leave its' proximity. Daniel guesses that a medieval storyteller who didn't understand the mechanics of the machine attributed its properties to an actual cloak.

** Cloaking Devices have been a mainstay of the series since "Balance of Terror" in ''Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries''. Employed mainly by the Romulans, Klingons, Suliban, and even by the Federation itself (for the ''Defiant''). The Federation is, as a rule, barred from using cloaking devices by the Treaty of Algernon, which also requires the Romulans to stay on their side of the Neutral Zone. A LensmanArmsRace ensues over the length of the franchise between those trying to make more effective cloaks and those trying to find new ways to detect them.
** The Romulans had a "phase cloak" that would make starships not only invisible but able to pass through normal matter. Unbeknownst to them, a Starfleet InsaneAdmiral illegally beat them to it. [[spoiler: Both attempts failed catastrophically.]]
** ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'', Jem'Hadar soldiers go invisible when on the attack. The same series introduces the USS ''Defiant'', a PintsizedPowerhouse starship equipped with a cloaking device on loan from the Romulans, with the understanding that the Federation will only use it against the Dominion and won't reproduce it.
** In the ''Series/StarTrekVoyager'' episode "Dark Frontier", the Voyager uses a cloaking technique developed by the Hansens to rescue Seven of Nine years later. Unfortunately, as the Borg Queen points out, [[SoMuchForStealth they gained knowledge of that technique when the Hansens were assimilated]].

** In ''Series/StarTrekDiscovery'', T'Kuvma's house is the only one in the Klingon Empire which possesses cloaking technology. After T'Kuvma is killed and his champion Voq is cast out, Kol offers the technology to the other Klingon houses in exchange for their loyalty, which causes the Federation no shortage of problems.

* Parodied in an episode of ''Series/WizardsOfWaverlyPlace'' when Max buys an invisibility poncho. When worn, only the poncho turned invisible, Max didn't.

* Played with in ''Series/{{Kaamelott}}''. Merlin is unable to turn people invisible, but got around it by designing invisibility panes, which makes anyone hiding behind them invisible. Just make sure you remember where you put them.

* In the radio version of ''Franchise/FlashGordon,'' after Flash has conquered the cavern world of Syk, he reviews the troops now under his command. He asks Zarkov who the guys wearing cloaks are, and Zarkov identifies them as the Invisibility Batallion.

** The [[CargoCult Word of Blake's]] new Void-Signature System combines the theory of the Chameleon Light Polarization System as well the Null Signature System with Battlesuit Scale mimetic armour to create a system which blocks you from Mag Scan, IR, Radar sensors as well as any visual system by making your 'Mech change colours as to appear the same as their background... thus simply being a blur.

* Various versions exist in ''TabletopGame/GURPSUltraTech''. By [[TechnologyLevels TL12]] the Invisibility Surface works not only in the visual spectrum but well beyond it.

* ''TabletopGame/EclipsePhase'' has invisibility cloaks in two forms: chameleon cloaks and metamaterial cloaks. Chameleon cloaks use complex arrays of sensors and light emitters to absorb light on one side of the cloak and emit a precise replica on the opposite side, effectively making the user invisible. Metamaterial cloaks are composed of advanced nanomaterials with a negative refractive index, which literally bend light around the cloak. The game actually addresses the RequiredSecondaryPowers necessary to wear such a cloak, stating that the user is blind while wearing it unless they open up a slit to see through by using a piece of 'anti-cloak' (material with a refractive index that cancels out the cloak's).
* ''TabletopGame/HcSvntDracones'' has three approaches. A display blanket loaded with a camouflage program can hide you if you're not moving. EM Cloaks cover your electromagnetic signature, but you're still visible. And finally a Scatterline Unit causes the wearer's outline to blur and become indistinct against their background.

* Each ''VideoGame/CommandAndConquer'' [[RealTimeStrategy RTS]] makes sure that it goes public with some kind of active camouflage unit. In the earlier games, especially before the ''[[VideoGame/CommandAndConquerGenerals Generals]]'' saga was even here, it's more likely that Invisibility Cloak is [[PlanetOfHats the expertise of a certain faction]]. A rule of thumb to reveal an enemy unit is to have a friendly unit approach it, use sensors, or hurt the enemy unit.
** In the ''[[VideoGame/CommandAndConquerTiberianSeries Tiberium series]]'', the Brotherhood of Nod is rather fond of Invisibility Cloaks and is specifically mentioned to be the leader in that field. It first began with "Ezekiel's Wheel" Stealth Tanks and the occasional CrateExpectations bonus when the very first ''C&C'' game, ''[[VideoGame/CommandAndConquerTiberianDawn Tiberian Dawn]]'', debuted in 1995. And then, it just expanded from there. ''[[VideoGame/CommandAndConquerTiberianSun Tiberian Sun]]'' moved on to footsoldier and building versions when it included the aptly-named Chameleon Spy, as well as mobile and stationary Stealth Generators that can generate invisibility fields base-wide. As of ''[[VideoGame/CommandAndConquerTiberiumWars Tiberium Wars]]'', Nod even gained a SupportPower derivative.
*** GDI, on the other hand, has learned to somewhat embrace this trope in ''[[VideoGame/CommandAndConquerTiberiumWars Tiberium Wars]]'' through the use of [[ColdSniper Sniper teams]].
*** EA and Westwood [[ContinuityNod even made sure that the continuity]] between ''[[VideoGame/CommandAndConquerTiberianDawn Tiberian Dawn]]'' and ''[[VideoGame/CommandAndConquerTiberianSun Tiberian Sun]]'' [[ContinuityPorn stayed consistent]]: ''Renegade''[==]'s [[http://www.cncden.com/wallpapers_ren/Stealth_1024.jpg Black Hand Chameleon soldier]] is, apparently, the precursor to ''[[VideoGame/CommandAndConquerTiberianSun Tiberian Sun]]'''s Chameleon Spy.
** The ''[[VideoGame/CommandAndConquerRedAlert Red Alert]]'' series takes Invisibility Cloak differently, what with even wackier science. The Allies understand this trope as the ability to jam radar or generate FogOfWar using specialist vehicles and buildings. Although they mostly subvert this trope, they do learn to build a [[NoPlansNoPrototypeNoBackup one-time prototype]] [[AwesomePersonnelCarrier S.Tank-APC hybrid]] in ''[[ExpansionPack Red Alert: Aftermath]]''. ''[[VideoGame/CommandAndConquerRedAlert2 Red Alert 2]]'' sees no changes in their mindset: [[MobileShrubbery Mirage Tanks]] are implied to use holograms to hide themselves. The Soviets (and later on, Yuri's army and Imperial Japan) are more straightforward about this with submarine technology, which survived all the way to ''[[VideoGame/CommandAndConquerRedAlert3 Red Alert 3]]''.
** ''[[VideoGame/CommandAndConquerGenerals Generals]]'' and ''Generals: Zero Hour'' are easily the most generous and the least sci-fi ''C&C'' games with this trope, seeing how Invisibility Cloak (innate or attained by upgrade) can apply to aircraft, footsoldiers, vehicles, and even buildings alike. Justifiable in a sense that most of it is merely from modern camouflage technology, rather than from AppliedPhlebotinum. The extremest of extreme goes to none other than ''Zero Hour'''s Stealth General, Prince Kassad. He has the SupportPower to cast an Invisibility Cloaks on literally ''anything''.

* ''VideoGame/{{Descent}}'' and ''[[VideoGame/{{Descent}} Descent 2]]'' both featured cloaking devices, which would render your ship (mostly) invisible for 30 seconds. Invisible, but not, notably, inaudible: if you fired a weapon, ran into a robot, or heck, even just ran into a ''wall'', the robots would notice you and start firing in that general direction. They could also still detect you if you were foolish enough to [[HighlyVisibleNinja leave your headlights on]] while cloaked in the second game.
* ''VideoGame/GlobalAgenda'' has one for the Recon class. It also greatly increases movement speed or jump length (your pick) while active, making it a viable travel alternative to the jetpack.
* The ''VideoGame/{{Fallout}}'' series features the Stealth Boy, which is established as a knock-off of Chinese technology, leading to Chinese stealth armor showing up in the ''Operation: Anchorage'' DLC for ''VideoGame/Fallout3''[[note]]The armor shows up in ''VideoGame/FalloutNewVegas'' as well, but it isn't an invisibility cloak there - [[FridgeBrilliance perhaps because its effect has degraded after lying around for 200 years]][[/note]]. Both [[KungFuProofMook prevent the player from targeting an equipped enemy in VATS.]]
* Several ''Franchise/FinalFantasy'' games include invisibility spells or items. All physical attacks are a guaranteed miss while the item/spell is active (except in the Tactics games, where attacks can typically still hit, but the AI will ignore the invisible unit.) Some incarnations decrease magic evasion and/or magic defense as a trade-off.

* ''Franchise/{{Halo}}'' features lots of "active camouflage," a common [[ScaryDogmaticAliens Covenant]] light-bending device that can also be used by the UNSC's [[SuperSoldier Spartans]].
** The UNSC has a less advanced version of this in the form of photoreactive paneling.
* Link had the Magic Cape in ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaALinkToThePast''. Also, the Stone Mask in ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaMajorasMask'' allowed you to become invisible because [[MobileShrubbery no one cares about a stone]]. Until you tried to do something plot-important with it on, like trying to take the Hookshot without starting the "beehive" cutscene beforehand in the Pirate Stronghold.
--> "Hey! Some kid with a weird mask is trying to sneak into here!"
* The Ninja character from ''VideoGame/LiveALive'' had an Invisibility Cloak.
* ''VideoGame/MetalGear'' had both two-way invisibility and active camouflage. The [=OctoCamo=] from ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid4'' is a peculiar example. To the player, Snake appears fully visible, just colored with the exact pattern and texture of whatever he's blending with, but while playing against Snake during a Sneaking Mission on ''Metal Gear Online'', when the camo index is high, Snake is virtually invisible, barely even noticeable when he moves, and one presumes this is also how the AI sees it. Stealth Camouflage in [=MGS4=] and MGO (A call back to the original [[VideoGame/MetalGearSolid MGS]]), one is totally invisible to the naked eye, but one is still visible by enemies using infrared in-game, and the user still has a shadow. The Stealth Camo is in a way InvisibleToNormals since normal guards can't see you, but bosses, escort characters, and the Attack Team (the guards sent during an alert phase) can. It is possible they already know you're there and are specifically looking for you. Stealth Camo doesn't provide total invisibility, so you could still spot it if you know what to look for.

** In ''VideoGame/MetroidDread'' Samus fights the Corpius, a creature that can turn invisible. Upon defeating it, the creature drops the Phantom Cloak, the piece of Chozo technology that rendered it invisible, which Samus can then equip to turn invisible herself.
** Shadow Pirates in ''VideoGame/MetroidPrime'' feature the "active camouflage" type of cloak (appear translucent in the visible spectrum, but stick out like a sore thumb in IR). Trace in ''Hunters'' can cloak itself in a similar fashion by standing still, but the cloak drops as soon as it moves.
** The Omega Pirate, also from ''Metroid Prime,'' has a "Chameleon Manta" which lets him become invisible not only to the naked eye but also to infrared and X-ray vision. The only time he can be seen when it's activated is when he absorbs the highly radioactive phazon into his body.
** In ''VideoGame/MetroidPrimeHunters'', when bounty hunter Trace is equipped with the Imperialist weapon, he can become invisible so long as he remains still.
* ''VideoGame/ShounenKinindenTsumuji'' also had an invisibility cloak that Tsumuji can use and sneak around enemies.
* The RC-P120 from ''VideoGame/PerfectDark'' had an ammunition-powered cloaking device as its secondary function. The game also featured stand-alone versions.
* ''VideoGame/SuperMario64'', the Vanish Cap.
* ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosMelee'' had ''Perfect Dark''[='=]s cloaking device. These also prevent you from seeing yourself. Of course this [[TheComputerIsACheatingBastard doesn't affect the AI in any way]]. On the other hand, while you still react to damage from other players while cloaked, they can't actually hurt you until it wears out.
* Late in ''VideoGame/WarGamesDefcon1'', the W.O.P.R have developed a new technology, the Stealth Field Generator, which depending on the player's campaign, will be to capture (N.O.R.A.D) or defend (W.O.P.R) it. Succeed in their mission and the following stage will unlock a new unit, the awesome Slayer (N.O.R.A.D) or Mantis (W.O.P.R) vehicle, units with powerful laser cannons and capable of becoming invisible for up to sixty seconds.
* ''VideoGame/WingCommander'', Kilrathi (and later human) stealth fighters.
* ''VideoGame/StarCraft'' has a large number of "cloaked" units, both for the Protoss and the Terrans:
** Terran Ghosts are latent psychics that can use their powers, coupled with a special suit they wear, to cloak themselves for as long as they have enough energy.
*** The campaign of ''VideoGame/StarCraftII'' has Spectres, "enhanced" Ghosts with a similar system. They can also be upgraded so they can cloak indefinitely.
** Terran Wraiths have a cloak generator that also works on stored energy. It's mentioned that the damn thing is so secret that the Army does ''anything'' it takes to destroy wreckages so as not to lose the advantage.
*** A similar device is used in ''[=StarCraft II=]'' on the Banshee gunships. The invisibility is also ''not'' handled with a HandWave; when the gunship is cloaked, the whole cockpit goes dark and a visor slides over the pilot's face, presumably connected to a small exterior sensor. The same goes for the Specters' goggles, which slide on when they cloak.
*** The new, more detailed Wraith portrait reveals that this fighter doesn't even ''have'' transparent cockpits, to facilitate cloaking.

** Protoss Arbiters aren't cloaked themselves but serve as an anchor for a reality-warping field that automatically cloaks allied units within a certain radius. This ability is carried over to the Mothership in ''VideoGame/StarCraftII''.
* The Spy in ''VideoGame/TeamFortress2'' has one built into his [[GadgetWatches wristwatch]]. It lasts up to 8 seconds and then needs 30 seconds to recharge fully, so using it takes a fair bit of tactical sense. An alternate invisibility watch, the Cloak and Dagger, slowly regenerates while the player is cloaked but standing still, so they can be invisible forever, but it drains much faster while moving.

* ''VideoGame/ThiefIITheMetalAge'' has invisibility potions. Sometimes they are available for purchase (and are very expensive when they are); sometimes they are hidden somewhere in a mission. The effect lasts for only a minute or so, and when it wears off, Garrett breathes very hard as though surfacing for air.

* ''VideoGame/WarCraft III'', Shades, Night Elves (subverted in that it's only at night and while stationary), Blademasters, and the Sorceress' Invisibility spell. In ''VideoGame/WarcraftII'', casting invisibility on a Demolition Squad [[GameBreaker killed it outright]], in ''Warcraft III'' it just tells you you cannot use it.
* ''VideoGame/{{Doom}}'' and ''Doom II'' had a Partial Invisibility power-up; this didn't make it ''impossible'' to see the character, just ''extremely'' difficult, and those with ranged attacks would have a random deviation added to their shots (e.g. fireballs veering off something like 45 degrees from where you actually are at the time; the powerup is rather infamous among the playerbase since in practice, as you'll typically be strafing to avoid enemy fire, it actually makes them ''better'' at hitting you because now they can [[TheComputerIsACheatingBastard "accidentally"]] compensate for your movement). The Spectre also has this effect, albeit permanently turned-on.
* ''VideoGame/AceCombatXSkiesOfDeception'' had the Gleipnir airborne fortress and Fenrir superfighters with their Digital Optical Stealth. Radar lock is also lost when it is active, though guns still work and dumb-firing missiles can still land on the slow Gleipnir.
* ''VideoGame/MassEffect2'' introduce this technology as a Tactical Cloak, used by an Infiltrator Shepard, Kasumi, and shotgun-wielding Geth Hunters.
** Returns in ''VideoGame/MassEffect3'', this time expanded to the Cerberus [[ColdSniper Nemesis]] and [[KatanasAreJustBetter Phantom]] enemies, along with various Infiltrator characters in multiplayer.
* Rogues in the ''Franchise/DragonAge'' series have this ability, which can be upgraded from "weak enemies may or may not notice you on a good day" to "complete invisibility even as you calmly shank an entire army of darkspawn."
* In ''Franchise/TheElderScrolls'' series, it is possible to enchant the [[{{Invisibility}} Chameleon]] effect onto armor, clothing, and/or jewelry. The Chameleon effect makes it harder for [=NPCs=] to detect the player. The effect can range from 1%-100%, with the chance of NPC detection decreasing the higher the percentage. Enchanting multiple pieces of equipment with the effect can quickly reach GameBreaker levels, as enemy [=NPCs=] will be unable to interact with you in any way, allowing you to steal from or assassinate whoever you want with total impunity. If certain exploits are used to make the effect permanent, it can also be a Game Breaker in another way, in that it breaks the game by making it impossible to advance since you won't be able to interact with [=NPCs=].
* The Assassins in the ''[[VideoGame/FirstEncounterAssaultRecon F.E.A.R.]]'' series have active camo. Notably, the camouflage only covers the Assassins' body, not any weapons said Assassin is carrying, which forces them to rely on hand-to-hand attacks. They get around this by having finger-mounted claws that [[ShockAndAwe channel electricity into their targets.]]
* The V38 Phantom TIE Fighters in ''VideoGame/StarWarsRebelAssault II'' have this, "a capability previously unheard of for ships their size". Ditto for the facility that produces them, whose cloaking device is disabled by the explosion of the Super Star Destroyer ''Terror''.
* Infamously, ''VideoGame/WizardsAndWarriors'' for the NES features an invisibility cloak that turns the character invisible... but only to the player. [[ComicallyMissingThePoint Enemies can still hit you.]]
** [[Creator/{{Seanbaby}} THOU]] [[MemeticMutation HATH WASTED THY FUCKING TIME.]]
* ''Franchise/TouhouProject'' has resident GadgeteerGenius kappa Nitori and her optical camouflage suit.

* ''Franchise/{{Zoids}}'' games usually have optical camouflage as something that can be equipped to the player's mecha.
* In the RTS game ''VideoGame/{{Achron}}'', every single unit has active camouflage which is the justification for FogOfWar (because, [[FridgeBrilliance who is really that near-sighted?]]). If you get close enough to enemy units, you can see them. Nigh-perfect cloaking also exists in the game and units who have that ability activated can only be seen if a unit with the ability "Detector" is nearby.
* ''VideoGame/{{Quake}}'' had the Ring of Shadows, which rendered the player invisible for a short period except for his eyes.
* The biospark enemy in the ''Franchise/{{Kirby}}'' series uses one of these in Squeak Squad. It isn't too bright about it, though - it leaves its gloves exposed.
* In ''VideoGame/SecretAgentBarbie'', a thief stole some fashion designs in order to create a ‘Translucent Suit,’ which is said to provide the wearer with near invisibility when worn.
* The female assassins in ''VideoGame/HalfLife1'' had cloaking devices when faced on the highest difficulty.
* The ''VideoGame/DeusEx'' series has invisibility biomods/augmentations, notable in that they rapidly drain your batteries and require a separate biomods/augmentations to be silent as well. There are also jackets, which don't drain your batteries, since it is a separate item, but they are rare and expensive, and once it is used up, it's gone.
* The reboot of ''VideoGame/{{Syndicate}}'' has this for certain mooks, but you don't have one in either single-player or co-op.
* Spoofed in ''VideoGame/EscapeFromStMarys'': The cloak makes everything else invisible (it blinds you).
* In ''VideoGame/{{Marathon}}'', the Transparency [[PowerUp Biobus Chip Enhancement]] grants you temporary invisibility. Some S'pht compilers use cloaking devices as well.
* In ''VideoGame/MegaMan7'', the Wily Capsule explicitly pulls out a cloak when pulling off its disappearing trick.
* In ''VideoGame/MondayNightCombat,'' this was one of the abilities of the Assassin class. ''Super Monday Night Combat'' tweaked it quite a bit; now it only makes you invisible to enemy players at a certain distance, but you're completely invisible to enemy bots and turrets.
* The Novistadors in ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil4'' have ''Predator''-style invisibility, however they can't be cloaked and fly at the same time.
* ''VideoGame/GhostRecon: Future Soldier'''s second mission introduces the adaptive camo. It only works when stationary, crouched or prone - no sprinting unless using the cover-shift - and suffers from InvisibilityFlicker. Enhanced vision modes, such as the player's own magnetic goggles or backscatter optics, and enemy vehicles can still see through it as well. Also, it can't cloak human skin (as seen in levels where Kozak and/or the others leave their sleeves rolled up, thus giving an actual reason for them to all wear [[RuleOfCool skull-face bandanas]]), and it leaves the sights uncloaked, so as to facilitate actually aiming your weapons.
* Near the end of ''VideoGame/TheSecretOfMonkeyIsland'', Guybrush gets his hands on a necklace of eyeballs that renders him invisible to ghosts, which, luckily, all the bad guys happen to be.
* The default special ability of the Infiltrator class in ''[[VideoGame/PlanetSide PlanetSide 2]]'' is a regenerating cloaking device. It's not as powerful as most examples, a cloaker can [[VisibleInvisibility be seen]] (unless perfectly still) by an enemy on the lookout for them, and cloaking players cannot attack enemies. The cloaking does, however, hide the Infiltrator from the minimap and from being spotted, and the {{nanomachines}} that generate the cloak can be switched for ones that absorb incoming damage as well as hiding the player (at the cost of draining more power). The alternate "Stalker" cloaking system forces the player to give up their primary weapon but allows them to stay cloaked indefinitely provided that they occasionally stand still and let the device charge back up.
** The [[CoolBike Flash ATV]] can also be fitted with a cloaking device, allowing an Infiltrator to make a stealthy and fast entrance. So long as the enemy doesn't hear the roar of the engine.

** Autopsying a Seeker in ''Enemy Within'' yields the plans for the Ghost Grenade, a single-use item[[note]]two uses with Deep Pockets or Grenadier, three if you have Training Roulette enabled and a soldier gets both abilities[[/note]] that cloaks all allies within its effect radius exactly like Ghost Armor – [[StealthyColossus even MEC troopers]].
* This is stock equipment in ''VideoGame/SLAISteelLancerArenaInternational''. Since energy shields are momentary, uncertain things (they only have a statistical chance of triggering to reduce damage instead of being always on), the more reliable choice in this case is to use a cloaking device that renders the SV effectively invisible, save for a faint ''Film/{{Predator}}''-like outline on the upper portion of hulls at close range. Weapons can still be fired and don't drain your cloak meter any faster, so it wasn't unheard of for two or more completely cloaked fighters to dance around each other while invisible while blazing away, resulting in the odd but amusing spectacle from a distance of nothing firing at nothing.
* ''VideoGame/{{Starsiege}}'' offers a form of cloaking that effectively masks a unit's radar signature while also causing the hull to mimic the local terrain textures. Moving while cloaked would cause the cloak to update its texture sets every few seconds, meaning that a sharp-eyed pilot could pick out something that resembles a constantly shifting chunk of Martian plains moving at a dead run and fire accordingly. Due to the way this particular system works, using the cloak on high ground is dumb, since it does nothing to hide a unit's outline, which will stand out quickly even on darker backgrounds--a lumpy green protrusion suddenly appearing on an otherwise smooth hilltop is probably not just a misplaced terrain texture.
* If you have the Mantorok rune in ''VideoGame/EternalDarkness'', casting the "Reveal Invisible" spell with it results in your character turning invisible instead.
* Every Support character in ''VideoGame/{{Evolve}}'' has one of these that can cloak anyone nearby them as well as themselves. The Medic character Lazarus also has one, though his only cloaks himself.
* In ''VideoGame/{{Overwatch}}'', Sombra has ''Thermoptic Camouflage'', rendering her invisible to normal sight and allowing her to move twice as fast. However she needs to drop it to attack or hack or use her ''Translocator'', and enemies can see her if she gets too close or use an ability like Hanzo's ''Sonic Arrow'' or Widowmaker's ''Infrared Vision'', plus any damage will force her out of cloak.
* Both ''VideoGame/TaskMaker'' and ''VideoGame/TheTombOfTheTaskMaker'' offer these for sale. If the player is wearing one, he or she is less likely to be attacked by monsters or otherwise angered [=NPCs=]. However, the player will also be unable to interact with shopkeepers, and non-angered [=NPCs=] will only say "I can't see you!"
* ''VideoGame/EverythingOrNothing'': The Porsche Cayenne Turbo is outfitted with one, and Bond later receives a Nano Suit. Caveat: He has to move very slowly, or else InvisibilityFlicker comes into play. Later on the enemies receive one, though the Thermographic Vision and a well-placed EMP Grenade can foil their suits.

* In ''Webcomic/{{Far from Home|MightyMartianStudios}}'', the pirates have a device that makes them only appear on the scanner.

* Shadowscared, god of fear in ''Webcomic/TheGodsOfArrKelaan'' has a cloak that makes him invisible to everything he fears (which is a lot). It was made by one of his followers who expected it to make him immortal, instead it just hid his ghost from [[GrimReaper Thannatria]], Shadowscared could see him and he gladly gave it to him so he could pass on.

* The K'ul of Webcomic/HalfMan use these, humanity has [[http://www.halfmancomic.com/issue/4/page/12 limited ways of detecting them while using it.]]

* In ''Literature/NewYorkMagician'', Michel's watch can generate "slips", which are basically this, barring magical people and beings who can see through them.
* In ''WebOriginal/OrionsArm'' this is done by using tiny lasers to project an image into the eyes of onlookers.

[[folder:Web Videos]]
* In ''WebVideo/TalesFromMyDDCampaign'', the evil [[FishPeople Kua-Toa]] have developed a way to cheaply mass-produce invisibility cloaks by fueling them with chemicals in their own skin secretions.
[[/folder]]

* Sheila from the animated ''WesternAnimation/DungeonsAndDragons1983'' TV series was equipped with a literal Invisibility Cloak.
* Played with in one ''WesternAnimation/InvaderZim'' episode where Zim accidentally gets a Megadoomer assault robot that could turn completely invisible. Unfortunately, the pilot does not turn invisible, leaving Zim floating in midair as he stomps his way through the neighborhood.
* Parody in ''WesternAnimation/SpongebobSquarepants'': The "Boatmobile" of retired superhero duo Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy is permanently invisible. So whenever they need it, they wander around the parking lot/secret cave garage like idiots until they find it. But it's not only annoying, it's outright useless because driver and passengers are clearly visible.
** Invisibility is the Boatmobile's default state; a malfunction causes a brief glimpse of a 1950s style sports car. Faaancy. The duo do carry around a car alarm on the keys, which renders it temporarily visible.

* The Renegades' Stealth Device from ''WesternAnimation/ChallengeOfTheGoBots,'' said to be a holographic projector that worked across the entire electromagnetic spectrum.
* One episode of ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'' featured a criminal who had stolen a supply of a plastic that could bend light around it, and had made for himself an invisibility suit (and similarly outfitted his car).
** Batman might've also adapted a safer version of this (in the ''Batman The Animated Series'' episode, it's mentioned as being toxic to the user), as the suit in ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond'', Terry's costume has a similar ability that he uses sometimes.
* The Saurians of ''WesternAnimation/MightyDucksTheAnimatedSeries'' had extremely sophisticated cloaking devices that not only rendered them invisible to the naked eye but to almost all forms of radar or locating devices. In fact, its power is why the Mask of Drake Du Caine is so important to Puckworld. It is the one and only thing that can see through their cloaks.
* The costume worn by Spider-Man throughout most of ''WesternAnimation/SpiderManUnlimited'' can briefly turn him invisible.
* In one ''[[WesternAnimation/TheTransformers Transformers Generation 1]]'' episode, Megatron invents and uses an Invisibility spray gun.
* In ''WesternAnimation/BeastWars'', Ravage and his transwarp cruiser could cloak, rendering them undetectable to vision and scanners (but not to Silverbolt's keen sense of smell).
* In ComicBook/{{Asterix}}, a spy was sent to observe a palace construction in Egypt. He blended into the background terrain, and also took the form of building blocks to hide. Naturally, he was added to the construction.
* In ''WesternAnimation/InspectorGadget'': "A Clear Case", Dr. Claw invents an invisibility suit using diamonds to deflect light.
* ''WesternAnimation/TheBigKnights'' featured hats of invisibility that rendered the wearer invisible but required the wearer to be [[InvisibleStreaker naked apart from the hat]].
* The ''WesternAnimation/TheNeverendingStoryTheAnimatedAdventuresOfBastianBalthazarBux'' episode "Belt of Invisibility" has Vermin discover Gmal, an invisibility-granting belt that Bastian got from Xayide and then use it to commit a crime spree across Fantasia. Bastian is forced to get a second belt from Xayide to stop Vermin, only for this one to make him not only invisible, but eventually inaudible to everyone except Xayide.
* In one episode of ''WesternAnimation/AladdinTheSeries'' lowly thief Amend Da Mula is given an arsenal of magical items by Mozenrath for a mission to turn the Sultan into a statuette, with one of then being a Belt of Invisibility. Iago, recognizing the trick, takes the belt from Amend and later uses it to get the Sultan away from the thief when he takes the form of a griffin.

* Buzz Allen, from ''Superworld Comics'', had a belt that turned him invisible.
* Detective Jim Brant, from ''Popular Comics'', had an invisibility suit that allowed him to fight crime.
* Mysta of the Moon, who was featured in ''Planet Comics'', had an invisibility cloak.

* Solar, who was featured in ''Captain Aero Comics'', had a "Cape of Mystery" that rendered him invisible.
* The Scarlet Phantom, who was featured in an issue of ''All-New Comics'', had a "phantom cloak" that turned him invisible.

* Minor hero the Invisible Hood (a.k.a. Hooded Justice a.k.a. Invisible Justice) in Franchise/TheDCU (and originally from Quality Comics) wore a chemically treated hood and robe that allowed him to turn invisible.
* In ''ComicBook/LokiAgentOfAsgard'', Loki owns a magical cloak of invisibility. They also ''borrow'' (steal) an invisibility pendant (magical) from Lorelei and an invisibility belt (technological) from Sigurd. All these together are enough invisibility to hide them even from [[DemonLordsAndArchdevils Mephisto]].

** There is technology that allows assassins to cloak themselves completely, although they're still visible on infrared.
** Judge Dredd once ran into a Franchise/{{Predator}} who was hunting for Judges in Mega-City One, which frequently used its invisibility tech to escape.
** In one story someone digs up a highly advanced weaponized wristband from the future, one of the features allowing the wearer to become invisible even to infrared.
* Ghost, an ''ComicBook/IronMan'' villain, has an armor suit which allows him to become invisible and {{intangib|ility}}le.
* The various versions of ''ComicBook/PhantomLady'' typically have technology which allows them to turn invisible and {{intangib|ility}}le.

* ''ComicBook/DarthVaderDarkLordOfTheSith''. A literal version when Vader skins a creature that has the natural ability to camouflage itself. Rather than hiding, however, he openly displays himself wearing it to the bounty hunters pursuing him as a non-verbal BadassBoast (the creature is the apex predator of the planet they are on). A couple of his hunters have extra-sensitive hearing and can always pick up Vader's [[VaderBreath breathing apparatus]], but Vader finds ways around that as well.
* ''ComicBook/ThePrivateEye'': P.I. himself wears a "Dreamcoat" hoodie, which projects opposite surfaces onto its faces to give him the appearence of transparency. Notably, it doesn't include his face or his pants.

* In ''Fanfic/KyonBigDamnHero'', [[spoiler: Kyon's greatcoat, skinsuit, PDA, and weaponry]] conspire to give them one of these.
* ''Fanfic/MyImmortal'' gives us the most useless and self-contradictory invisibility cloak ever. ''People can see it when it's in use.'' But they ''can't'' immediately deduce that this means there's ''someone'' using it. But if you send a cat under it to check, you can tell when the cat ''nods to confirm''. This may or may not be explained by the fact that the author persistently misspells it as "invincibility coke".
* A team of mercenaries in Literature/TheDresdenFiles fic ''Fanfic/FairVote'' had the technological variant; surprising in a universe where magic-users are [[WalkingTechbane Walking Techbanes]].
* In ''Fanfic/{{Renegade}}'', invisibility technology is used by [[spoiler: Tali]] to sneak into an enemy base.

* The S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier in ''Film/TheAvengers2012'', much like Film/JamesBond's car listed below, had panels on the underbelly that displayed the sky above the ship, rendering it invisible to ground observation.
* ''Film/DieAnotherDay'' somewhat infamously had a car that used miniature cameras on one end wired to transmission screens on the other, much like existing technology. "Aston Martin call it the Vanquish, we call it... the Vanish."
* The Tarnhelm is parodied in the 1989 film ''Film/ErikTheViking'', where the protagonist uses Aud's invisibility cloak, which only works on King Arnulf. Unaware of that Erik pulls off a hilarious "now you see me, now you you don't see me" scene on the villain's ship. The priest cannot see it, the same way that he cannot see [[spoiler:the Dragon of the North Sea or the gates of Asgard]].

* One of the [[WhereDoesHeGetAllThoseWonderfulToys spy gadgets]] Dr. Honeydew and Beaker develop in ''Film/MuppetsFromSpace'' is invisibility spray. Unfortunately, [[spoiler:it comes off when Fozzie washes his hands]].

* ''Film/TheInvisibleMan2020'' [[spoiler: has this as the method the titular character uses to become invisible rather than a serum, specifically being a full-body suit fitted with hundreds of tiny reflective cameras that see and perfectly copy what is in front of and behind the wearer]].

* In ''Literature/ArtemisFowl'', Foaly creates an invention called Cam Foil to make the wearer of it invisible. It's more technological than Harry Potter cloaks, which serves some problems, such as it shorts out in rain and is not invisible to a camera. Also, the circuitry can be easily crushed and the wearer appears as a slight haze, so is still noticeable.

* ''Literature/TheCrimsonShadow'': Luthien gets one, though it leaves behind a crimson silhouette wherever he was when wearing it, the source of the name "the Crimson shadow".

* In ''Literature/DrakeMaijstral'', the darksuit -- which is the preferred working ware for [[GentlemanThief Allowed Burglars]] -- has a wide variety of stealth technologies built into it. However, as the name suggests, it's mainly useful at night. A blurry cloud of holographic darkness entering a window in broad daylight is likely to attract attention.

** Harry inherits a cloak from his father that makes everything beneath it invisible. Recreated beautifully on film too. This cloak is the {{Trope Namer|s}}. As it turns out, the cloak is [[spoiler:one of the three Deathly Hallows]]. Other cloaks, such as ones woven from Demiguise fur, decay over time and are affected by outside spells, but the Hallow cloak is just as able to keep its wearer invisible as it was when it was first made and does not budge for one moment when a Death Eater attempts to Summon it off of Harry.

* ''Literature/IncarnationsOfImmortality'': In ''Literature/UnderAVelvetCloak'', Karena finds from Morgan Le Fay that the velvet cloak has magical properties. Morgan teaches Karena how to use the invisibility, phase through the ground, protect the wearer from attack, and finally the spell Karena wanted -- "Locate a person", to find her lost lover. Later in the story, Karena finds the most important quality of the cloak: [[spoiler:the cloak is not magical -- Karena did this all with her innate magical abilities]].

* In ''Literature/MorrisDisappearingBag'' by Rosemary Wells, the bag is effectively an Invisibility Cloak. Young Morris hides in it, to the envy of his older brother and sisters who won't let him use their toys. The bag itself is invisible all the time, leading to one of Morris' sisters saying "I hope you remember where you put the bag".

* Creator/WilliamGibson's ''Literature/{{Neuromancer}}'' has Molly donning a "mimetic polycarbon" bodysuit, which changes pattern to match the surroundings, in order to infiltrate the Sense/Net headquarters.

* The TropeMaker is the ''Tarnkappe'' (aptly translatable as "camouflage cape") which Siegfried takes from the dwarf Alberich and uses to defeat Brunhild in the ''Literature/{{Nibelungenlied}}''.

* In the ''Literature/PreludeToDune'' prequels, a Richese scientist invents the first no-field generator. He sells the technology to the Harkonnens, with the Baron having him build a no-chamber for secret meetings and a small no-ship for hidden strikes, before Rabban [[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness kills the scientist]]. However, unlike the future no-ships, this no-field is a typical cloaking device but doesn't shield against prescience, as evidenced when Rabban tries to use it to attack Wallach IX only for the Bene Gesserit to detect him with their powers and cause the ship to crash. They study the craft and then destroy it to prevent the technology from falling in the wrong hands. It's not clear if the re-discovery of the no-field is independent or a result of the Sisterhood using this knowledge.
* Creator/JackMcDevitt's ''Literature/PriscillaHutchins'' novels have "lightbenders"; basically high-tech invisibility suits. Access for the general public is highly restricted, but the Academy is allowed to use them for exploring new alien worlds. Their use requires care, though, since they don't hide the eyes.

* L.E. Modesitt's ''Literature/SagaOfRecluce'' books have invisibility that ''does'' render the wearer blind... sort of. To use the ability you have to first develop a supernatural sensitivity to either patterns (order) or energy (chaos), either of which means you can see more "blind" than ordinary people can see with light anyhow. Also, the ability is only schematically shaped like a cloak -- it's not really an item so much as a spell which the caster has to fuel.
* In Creator/MichaelFlynn's ''Literature/SpiralArm'' novel ''In The Lion's Mouth'', Ravn recounts the use of these in the fight. After, Bridget's first guess is an AirVentPassageway escape before she deduces that in fact Ravn hid cloaks in the ventilation system, and then escaped, invisible, with her companion as soon as the door opened.
* In the ''Literature/{{Starfist}}'' series by David Sherman and Dan Cragg, Confederation Marine combat uniforms are called "chameleons" -- they incorporate an otherwise undescribed technology that approximates the color of objects in the uniform's near vicinity. Chameleons only work in visible spectrum, a weakness which is ruthlessly exploited by the series' recurring aliens and monsters. Later on, when the Marines are fighting against human rebels, they advance across an open field of chest-high grass. [[IdiotBall Apparently, no one realized just how brilliant this plan was until they got ambushed by the rebels who could easily spot them]].
* One of the early plots of ''Literature/TheThrawnTrilogy'' is Grand Admiral Thrawn's search for Palpatine's hidden cloaking technology, suddenly made practical[[note]]In terms of the power requirements[[/note]] in a breakthrough shortly before the disastrous battle at Endor. But like a true total cloaking device, it's double blind -- enemies can't see the cloaked ships, but the cloaked ships can't see outside their own field. Thrawn, being the MagnificentBastard that he is, still finds some uses: like [[spoiler: cloaked asteroids in low orbit used as siege weapons. Since the asteroids are invisible, the residents of the planet have no way of knowing whether they've cleared them all and thus have to keep the planetary DeflectorShields permanently raised. Which is quite problematic for a planet so heavily populated that it relies on importing food from off-world.]]

* ''Literature/SwordOfTruth'': The Mriswith's cloaks render them invisible.

* ''Literature/TheTravelersGate'': The cloaks Valinhall Travelers receive from the Nye, when used in conjunction with the [[SuperSpeed Nye essence]], make the Travelers very difficult to perceive with any Territory powers. At first this is mostly helpful again Lirial, but [[spoiler:it turns out to be ''very'' effective against Incarnations, who are constantly looking at the world through the eyes of their Territory]].

* In ''Literature/TheWheelOfTime'', Warders' cloaks blended with the scenery, making their heads and legs appear disembodied when the cloaks were worn. It's also possible to make a sort of invisibility field using the One Power, but it has to be anchored in place because it causes a weird ripple effect when it moves.
** The material was apparently called "fancloth" in the Age of Legends, and some characters with know-how can make more than cloaks with it. Before he reveals himself, the newly resurrected [[TheDragon Moridin]] stalks various protagonists and a few of the other [[QuirkyMinibossSquad Forsaken]] swathed in the stuff from head to toe [[RequiredSecondaryPowers (except for his eyes.)]]

* ComicBook/WonderWoman's Invisible Jet.

* Full-body "lightbender" suits are used fairly often in ''[[ComicBook/{{Casanova}} Matt Fraction's Casanova]]''.

* Marvel's current incarnation of ComicBook/{{Loki|AgentOfAsgard}} owns a magical cloak of invisibility. They also ''borrow'' (steal) an invisibility pendant (magical) from Lorelei and an invisibility belt (technological) from Sigurd. All these together are enough invisibility to hide them even from [[DemonLordsAndArchdevils Mephisto]].

* Ghost, an ComicBook/IronMan villain, has an armor suit that allows him to become invisible and also intangible.
* The various versions of ComicBook/PhantomLady typically have technology that allows them to turn invisible and intangible.
* ''ComicBook/UltimateXMen'' and ''ComicBook/TheUltimates'': Nick Fury has one, but it is very expensive to use for more than just some seconds.
* ''ComicBook/WonderWoman1942'': The Saturnians have full-body costumes which allow them to remain invisible on the light spectrum so long as they are in range of their "Invisibility Ray Generator".
* ''ComicBook/DarthVaderDarkLordOfTheSith''. A literal version when Vader skins a creature that has the natural ability to camouflage itself. Rather than hiding, however, he openly displays himself wearing it to the bounty hunters pursuing him as a non-verbal BadassBoast (the creature is the apex predator of the planet they are on). A couple of his hunters have extra-sensitive hearing and they can always pick up Vader's breathing apparatus, but Vader finds ways around that too.
* ''ComicBook/ThePrivateEye'' P.I. himself wears a "Dreamcoat" hoodie, which projects opposite surfaces onto its faces to give him the appearence of transparency. Notably it doesn't include his face or his pants.

* Subverted in ''Fanfic/RocketshipVoyager''. The Caretaker shows off a cloaking device in his archive but points out that it's useless for any practical purpose or scientific study as no eyesight or instrument can see in or out of it once activated.

* The S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier in ''Film/{{The Avengers|2012}}'', much like Film/JamesBond's car listed below, had panels on the underbelly that displayed the sky above the ship, rendering it invisible to ground observation.

* The Tarnhelm is parodied in the 1989 film ''Film/ErikTheViking'', where the protagonist uses Aud's invisibility cloak, which only works on King Arnulf. Unaware of that Erik pulls off a hilarious "now you see me, now you you don't see me" scene on the villain's ship.
** The priest cannot see it, the same way that he cannot see [[spoiler:the Dragon of the North Sea or the gates of Asgard.]]
* ''Franchise/GIJoe'' - There is a camouflage suit used by Scarlett.

* ''Film/{{Predator}}'': This is a Predator's main defense against the prey that it is hunting.
* In the 1959 movie ''Santa Claus'', Merlin gives Santa a flower that can turn him invisible.
* The Smurf Village in ''Film/TheSmurfs'' has a magic field that renders the village invisible to anyone outside the field...most likely to those who aren't Smurfs.

* Elven warriors from the ''Literature/FightingFantasy'' series of books are often depicted as having invisible elven cloaks as part of their arsenal, which gives them a SKILL boost if fought in combat. One of them, Elranel the Elven Thief from ''Literature/LegendOfZagor'', shows up as an optional opponent; if he's defeated (in a lengthy and arduous combat due to his already high SKILL stat) you're given an option to keep his cloak, but will need to abandon your armour - the cloak doesn't work when draped over metal.

* In the Literature/CaptainFuture {{reconstruction}} novel ''Avengers of the Moon'', our hero uses a man-portable version of his spaceship's fantome generator to infiltrate the moon habitat of a high-ranking politician. SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome occurs as he has to consider such problems as power supply (only ten minutes using his batteries), being able to navigate when you can't see, and how to hide his footprints. The solution they come up with is for Captain Future to walk in behind, and [[HandyHelper holding onto]], his RobotBuddy Grag, who pretends to be a [[ObfuscatingStupidity simple maintenance robot]]. Later Captain Future uses the fantome generator in a shootout by switching it on, moving his position and aiming his weapon at where he can hear the enemy is (sound can still travel through the field) then turning it off again, giving himself a momentary advantage over his opponents.
* In Creator/JohnCWright's ''Literature/ChroniclesOfChaos'', the characters get the Ring of Gyges (from Greek mythology, see above) from the horse-shaped tomb of Gyges. It can hide the wearer from normal and paranormal sense impressions selectively. Colin Mac [=FirBolg=] does his best sniveling Gollum impersonation before donning it.\\

* In Walter Jon Williams' ''Literature/DrakeMaijstral'' series, the darksuit, which is the preferred working ware for Allowed Burglars, has a wide variety of stealth technologies built into it. However, as the name suggests, it's mainly useful at night. A blurry cloud of holographic darkness entering a window in broad daylight is likely to attract attention.
* ''Literature/TheGanymedeTakeover''. A soldier of LaResistance uses an [[RealityWarper illusion machine]] to turn himself invisible. Unfortunately on turning it off again, he insists that ICantSeeMyself, even though everyone else can see him. It's a result of the [[SideEffectsInclude psychological effects of the illusion machines]], which send the users crazy.
* In ''Tribesmen of Literature/{{Gor}}'' we learn that the Kurii have developed a ring which makes the bearer invisible, by refracting light around the user.
** In ''Explorers of Literature/{{Gor}},'' the plot is driven by attempts to recover the ring and plant a booby-trapped fake on the other side.
* In Creator/JKRowling's ''Literature/HarryPotter'' series, Harry inherits a cloak from his father that makes everything beneath it invisible. Recreated beautifully on film too. This cloak is the TropeNamer.
** And as it turns out, the cloak is [[spoiler:one of the three Deathly Hallows]]. Other cloaks, such as ones woven from Demiguise fur, decay over time and are affected by outside spells, but the Hallow cloak is just as able to keep its wearer invisible as it was when it was first made and does not budge for one moment when a Death Eater attempts to Summon it off of Harry.

* In ''Literature/TheHobbit'', Bilbo acquires a magic ring from Gollum. This ring grants invisibility to its wearer.
** The sequel, ''Literature/TheLordOfTheRings'', identifies it as the One Ring, a major ArtifactOfDoom. The invisibility is a side-effect on mortal wearers who cannot simultaneously exist in the Visible and Invisible worlds. In fact, the ring actually makes its wearer ''more'' visible to those who are in the Invisible world, such as the Nazgûl. Spiritual beings, such as Sauron, are not rendered invisible.
** The elven cloaks given to the Fellowship at Lórien give a certain amount of invisibility, causing their wearers to fade into the background so long as they are among nature. This allows Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli to stay unseen by an entire cohort of Rohirrim riding right past them and has a lot to do with Frodo and Sam's successful incursion of Mordor. This is well represented in the [[Film/TheLordOfTheRings film adaptation]] of ''[[Film/TheLordOfTheRingsTheTwoTowers The Two Towers]]'' when, as an orc-company approaches, Frodo throws his cloak over him and Sam, and they immediately take on the perfect likeness of a boulder.

* Parodied in ''[[Literature/MythAdventures Myth Conceptions]]'' with the low-end-knockoff version, an invisibility ''sheet''. Made of semi-stiff plastic, it can render someone who carries it invisible from observers on one side and can be rolled up for storage.

* L.E. Modesitt's ''Literature/SagaOfRecluce'' books have invisibility that ''does'' render the wearer blind.
** Well, sort of. To use the ability you have to first develop a supernatural sensitivity to either patterns (order) or energy (chaos), either of which means you can see more "blind" than ordinary people can see with light anyhow.
** Also the ability is only schematically shaped like a cloak, it's not really an item so much as a spell that the caster has to fuel.

* In the ''Literature/{{Starfist}}'' series by David Sherman and Dan Cragg, Confederation Marine combat uniforms are called "chameleons" - they incorporate an otherwise undescribed technology that approximates the color of objects in the uniform's near vicinity. Chameleons only work in visible spectrum, a weakness that is ruthlessly exploited by the series' recurring aliens and monsters.\\\
Later on, when the Marines are fighting against human rebels, they advance across an open field of chest-high grass. [[IdiotBall Apparently, no one realized just how brilliant this plan was until they got ambushed by the rebels who could easily spot them.]]
* ''Franchise/StarWarsLegends'': One of the early plots of ''Literature/TheThrawnTrilogy'' is Grand Admiral Thrawn's search for Palpatine's hidden cloaking technology, suddenly made practical[[note]]In terms of the power requirements[[/note]] in a breakthrough shortly before the disastrous battle at Endor. But like a true total cloaking device, it's double blind--enemies can't see the cloaked ships, but the cloaked ships can't see outside their own field. Thrawn, being the MagnificentBastard that he is, still finds some uses: like [[spoiler: cloaked asteroids in low orbit used as siege weapons. Since the asteroids are invisible, the residents of the planet have no way of knowing whether they've cleared them all and thus have to keep the planetary DeflectorShields permanently raised. Which is quite problematic for a planet so heavily populated that it relies on importing food from off-world.]]
* In ''Literature/StuartLittle'' the car Stuart drives has an invisibility button.

* In the ''Literature/{{Uglies}}'' series, the Specials have sneaksuits — suits which can blend in with the surroundings and cannot be seen through normal sight or infrared. The suits can be damaged and one particular character can sense their location since he is very perceptive (although the character in question is seriously underestimated).
* In ''Literature/TheVoyageOfAlice'', Alice meets a conman who claims to sell invisible fishes, and he says he gives her an invisibility cap which is conveniently supposed to be weightless and similar to air to the touch. [[spoiler:Subverted, as it turns out it ''is'' a functioning invisibility cap, which saves everyone's lives in the story's climax]].
* In ''Literature/TheWheelOfTime'' series by Robert Jordan, Warders' cloaks blended with the scenery, making their heads and legs appear disembodied when the cloaks were worn. It's also possible to make a sort of invisibility field using the One Power, but it has to be anchored in place because it causes a weird ripple effect when it moves.
** The material was apparently called "fancloth" in the Age of Legends, and some characters with know-how can make more than cloaks with it. Before he reveals himself, the newly-resurrected [[TheDragon Moridin]] stalks various protagonists and a few of the other [[QuirkyMinibossSquad Forsaken]] swathed in the stuff from head to toe [[RequiredSecondaryPowers (except for his eyes.)]]
* In ''Literature/WhileTheClockChimes'', invisibility caps are worn by the kingdom's royal family and the aristocracy, since they are so gorgeous that anyone who sees them goes blind. [[spoiler:They are not, it turns out: really they are horrendously ugly]].
* ''Literature/TheRepublic'' of Creator/{{Plato}}: In the parable of the Ring of Gyges, Gyges finds a golden finger ring which makes its wearers invisible when the collet of the ring is turned inwards (toward the palm). It is a normal ring when the collet is turned outwards.
* ''Literature/LaszloHadronAndTheWargodsTomb'': Isis Lagato uses a stealthsuit to infiltrate [[SecretGovernmentWarehouse Sel'Akis]].

* ''Series/{{Treadstone}}''. In "The [=McKenna=] Erasure", a Treadstone agent hides from a thermal camera by wrapping himself in a foil survival blanket.

* ''TabletopGame/BattleTech'' takes the chameleon approach with mimetic armor coatings for some types of power armor. The "Chameleon Light Polarization Shield", invisibility on a Mech scale, has never been truly explained but is implied to somehow render a Mech invisible only in the visible light spectrum, allowing it to still hunt in its magnetic resonance and infrared sensor modes. Those Mechs that mount it have to find their own ways around not showing up to those, frequently resorting to advanced composites for construction and various gimmicks to reduce heat signature.\\
\\
The [[CargoCult Word of Blake's]] new Void-Signature System combines the theory of the Chameleon Light Polarization System as well the Null Signature System with Battlesuit Scale mimetic armour to create a system which blocks you from Mag Scan, IR, Radar sensors as well as any visual system by making your 'Mech change colours as to appear the same as their background... thus simply being a blur.

* ''Machinima/RedVsBlue'':

** In Seasons 11-13, Locus possesses this, as well as various soldiers of the Federal Army of Chorus [[spoiler:and the Space Pirates in [[EvilInc Charon Industries']] employ]].

** In season 3 the Goa'uld system lord Nirrti used a personal cloaking device she developed (possibly reverse-engineered from the naturally phase-shifted Reetou) to try and ruin treaty negotiations between the SGC and Goa'uld. Fortunately anti-Reetou weapons could expose her.

** In season 9 the team discovers Arthur's Mantle, which is basically a computer that takes the user out of phase, making them invisible, even after they leave its' proximity. Daniel guesses that a medieval storyteller who didn't understand the mechanics of the machine attributed its properties to an actual cloak.

* ''VideoGame/MetalGear'' had both two-way invisibility and active camouflage. The [=OctoCamo=] from ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid4'' is a peculiar example. To the player, Snake appears fully visible, just colored with the exact pattern and texture of whatever he's blending with, but while playing against Snake during a Sneaking Mission on ''Metal Gear Online'', when the camo index is high, Snake is virtually invisible, barely even noticeable when he moves, and one presumes this is also how the AI sees it. Stealth Camouflage in [=MGS4=] and MGO (A call back to the original [[VideoGame/MetalGearSolid MGS]]), one is totally invisible to the naked eye, but one is still visible by enemies using infrared in-game, and the user still has a shadow.\\
\\
The Stealth Camo is in a way InvisibleToNormals since normal guards can't see you, but bosses, escort characters, and the Attack Team (the guards sent during an alert phase) can. It is possible they already know you're there and are specifically looking for you. Stealth Camo doesn't provide total invisibility, so you could still spot it if you know what to look for.
* Shadow Pirates in ''VideoGame/MetroidPrime'' feature the "active camouflage" type of cloak (appear translucent in the visible spectrum, but stick out like a sore thumb in IR). Trace in ''Hunters'' can cloak itself in a similar fashion by standing still, but the cloak drops as soon as it moves.

* In ''VideoGame/MetroidPrimeHunters'', when bounty hunter Trace is equipped with the Imperialist weapon, he can become invisible so long as he remains still.

* ''Lightnovel/FullMetalPanic'', ECS mode for 3rd generation Arm Slaves. Tessa's [=M6A1=] also had ECS despite being 2nd-gen. Wiki/TheOtherWiki states that ECS is based on an array of rapidly oscillating lasers. The first models only shielded against infrared but the newest stuff works against optics as well -- with the trade-off of having a strong ozone smell, attracting birds, and freaking out dogs.

* Marvel's current incarnation of ComicBook/{{Loki|AgentOfAsgard}} owns a magical cloak of invisibility. They also ''borrow'' (steal) an invisibility pendant (magical) from Lorelei and an invisibility belt (technological) from Sigurd. [[UpToEleven All these together are enough invisibility]] to hide them even from [[DemonLordsAndArchdevils Mephisto]].

** The Romulans once tried to take this UpToEleven with a "phase cloak" that would make starships not only invisible but able to pass through normal matter. Unbeknownst to them, a Starfleet InsaneAdmiral illegally beat them to it. [[spoiler: Both attempts failed catastrophically.]]

* Various versions exist in ''TabletopGame/{{GURPS}}: Ultra-Tech''. By [[TechnologyLevels TL12]] the Invisibility Surface works not only in the visual spectrum but well beyond it.

* ''Toys/{{Bionicle}}'': the Mask of Concealment and Mask of Stealth.

* In one episode of ''WesternAnimation/AladdinTheSeries'' lowly thief Amend Da Mula is given an aresenal of magical items by Mozenrath for a mission to turn the Sultan into a statuette, with one of then being a Belt of Invisibility. Iago, recognizing the trick, takes the belt from Amend and later uses it to get the Sultan away from the thief when he takes the form of a griffin.

** Akira’s fourth set of PoweredArmor has one of these (that also has provides DeflectorShields). The ChameleonCamouflage cloak is cheap, resulting in many ItsProbablyNothing reactions when Akira tests it near some low level hunters, and so he only uses it for its shields.

* ''Franchise/GhostInTheShell's'' Public Security Section 9 and a few baddies made frequent use of "thermoptic camouflage," which rendered the wearer more or less invisible in both visible-light and infrared. In the movie, Major Kusanagi wears a skin-tight semi-transparent thermoptic suit; the various TV series had Section 9's combat uniforms thermoptic-equipped.
** The manga and the film show the characters wearing special devices to be able to see while being invisible. In ''Stand Alone Complex'', they are absent, however.

** The Rangers that were chasing S9 characters at the time) and Batou, an ex-Ranger, have eye implants designed specifically to work with thermoptic camo. Still doesn't explain how the others were able to see. Perhaps we are meant to assume that most of Section 9 have these implants.
** The Umibozu commandos in the first season of [=SAC=] also had thermoptic camo as well when they were ordered to hunt down the S9 operators.

* ''Film/{{Spawn}}'': Spawn's red cape is shown being capable of rendering him invisible. He then makes the mistake of turning it off while the cops are still looking for him, so recommence gunfight.

* In the ''Literature/{{Starfist}}'' series by David Sherman and Dan Cragg, Confederation Marine combat uniforms are called "chameleons" - they incorporate an otherwise undescribed technology that approximates the color of objects in the uniform's near vicinity. Chameleons only work in visible spectrum, a weakness that is ruthlessly exploited by the series' recurring AliensAndMonsters.\\\

* Sheila from the animated ''WesternAnimation/DungeonsAndDragons'' TV series was equipped with a literal Invisibility Cloak.