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+--- Thread: Research Seeing infrared: scientists create contact lenses that grant ‘super-vision’ (/thread-18042.html)
Seeing infrared: scientists create contact lenses that grant ‘super-vision’ - C C - May 23, 2025
https://www.theguardian.com/science/2025/may/22/infrared-contact-lenses-super-vision
EXCERPT: To extend humans’ range of vision and enhance our experience of the world, the scientists developed what are called upconversion nanoparticles. The particles absorb infrared light and re-emit it as visible light. For the study, the scientists chose particles that absorb near-infrared light, comprising wavelengths that are just too long for humans to perceive, and converted it into visible red, green or blue light.
In previous work, the research team gave mice near-infrared vision by injecting upconversion nanoparticles under the retina, the light-sensitive membrane at the back of the eye. But noting that this “may not be readily accepted by humans,” they searched for a less invasive strategy.
Writing in the journal Cell, the scientists describe how they made soft contact lenses seeded with upconversion nanoparticles. When worn, people could see Morse code-like signals flashed from an infrared LED and tell what direction infrared light came from.
Their infrared vision improved when they closed their eyes, because eyelids block visible light more than infrared, so there was less visible light to interfere.
The lenses are not sensitive enough to see natural low levels of infrared light, and because warm objects radiate mostly in the far-infrared, the lenses do not provide thermal vision. But future work will focus on making lenses that are more effective, the scientists say... (MORE - missing details)
ALT PRESS RELEASE (no ads): Infrared contact lenses allow people to see in the dark, even with their eyes closed
RE: Seeing infrared: scientists create contact lenses that grant ‘super-vision’ - confused2 - May 29, 2025
Hm. My education, maybe 50 years out of date, says you can't make a photon with higher energy from a lower energy one - at least not without a power source .. so .. ??