Technology can already operate in low-light conditions: consider a baby monitor, a wildlife camera, or night vision goggles.
However, researchers have developed a contact lens that enables humans to “see” in the dark, even when their eyes are shut.
It picks up infrared light, a portion of the spectrum typically unseen by human eyes, through minuscule nanoparticles integrated into a substance akin to what’s currently utilized for regular contact lenses.
The night-vision lenses don’t require batteries or a wire.
Although they might not provide a clear close-up view of what lies ahead, these tools can offer hints and detect light sources that would typically remain concealed.
The study, published in
Cell,
indicates that the study participants using these lenses were able to detect sources of Near-infrared (NIR) light within a dimly lit room.
“When participants shut their eyes, their response to near-infrared light stayed nearly the same, but their reaction to visible light dropped more than 200 times,” the study states.
‘This was due to the superior penetrative capability of NIR light through the eyelid, as had been shown earlier in mice.’
Using these lenses wouldn’t simply act as an enhanced form of night vision goggles since they don’t intensify light. Therefore, you’d need to view something quite luminous to gain any advantage from them.
Yet, it’s an intriguing leap towards the potential of enhanced vision capabilities.
Researchers at the University of Science and Technology of China in Hefei achieved this by employing nanoparticles—significantly thinner than a sheet of paper—that can transform near-infrared light into a shorter green wavelength visible to human eyes.
You could assume these lenses would come with an enormous price tag, yet experts gauged their production cost at roughly $200 per pair.
Why bother with this?
Most noticeably, it might assist folks in seeing at night when it’s pitch black.
All sources of warmth emit infrared radiation; thus, this can make warm-blooded creatures, electronic devices, and areas heated by sunlight throughout the daytime stand out more clearly.
You’ve likely come across infrared imaging using those thermal cameras that display your nose in a different color since it’s cooler being an extremity.
Scientists mentioned that the technology also has numerous subtle uses, including incorporating hidden anti-counterfeiting indicators into banknotes that cannot be detected without close inspection.
This might also assist individuals with color blindness by making various hues more discernible.
Nature
reported
It could also find applications in healthcare, enabling physicians to identify tumors more readily without depending on cumbersome gear.
At present, they wouldn’t be particularly helpful for these purposes since the picture they provide is unclear and hazy.
However, keep an eye on this – whether your eyes are wide open or shut.
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