Photorealistic images of objects in effective negative-index materials

Using a ray-tracing approach, we calculate photorealistic images and simple movies of objects in a material with negative index of refraction. Our results show several surprising and drastic effects, for example reversal of apparent object velocity, extreme distortions of object shape, and even apparent loss of connectivity of simple objects. The material presented aims at giving both researchers and laymen an intuition and visual understanding for the unusual optical properties of negative-index materials. (c) 2006 Optical Society of America.