Devices with night vision capabilities are often considered too complex and expensive. But thanks to this newly developed technology by scientists, we might see such tech on regular eyeglasses in the future.
The tech uses an ultra-thin film that consists of nanometre-scale crystals that can transform infrared light into images that the human eye can perceive. The study explains:
In this process, an infrared image of a target is mixed inside the metasurface [of nanocrystal layers] with a strong pump beam, translating the image from the infrared to the visible in a nanoscale ultrathin imaging device.
Researchers claim that this technology can be used on standard eyeglasses in the future. It can also be used on other lenses and even powered by tiny built-in lenses.
The people behind it also plan on using machine learning to improve the light-matter interactions simultaneously.
This is the first time anywhere in the world that infrared light has been successfully transformed into visible images in an ultra-thin screen. It’s a really exciting development and one that we know will change the landscape for night vision forever.
Dragomir Neshev, Physics Professor, Australian National University
Neshev’s confidence that the tech would be successful is understandable considering that it’s cheap to make, lightweight, and easy to produce.
Technology like these can help people better drive at night or aid in any other areas to improve their quality of life. However, there’s no denying that it can also be used for military purposes.