This Filter Can Turn Regular Glasses Into Night Vision Lenses

Forget bulky night vision goggles. Scientists have developed a game-changing night vision filter that’s lighter than ever.

This ultra-thin filter, weighing less than a single gram, can be placed on regular eyeglasses, letting you see in the dark without the hassle of heavy equipment. This technology could revolutionize night vision, making it lighter, more comfortable, and potentially more accessible.

How it Works

Here’s how the “metasurface-based upconversion” works: imagine tiny bumps and grooves etched on a super-thin film. Light, including invisible infrared light, bounces off this film. In the process, the film boosts the energy of the infrared light, transforming it into regular visible light we can see.

This is different from traditional night vision because it doesn’t require converting light into electrons first. Another bonus? It works at room temperature, so no bulky coolers are needed.

The researchers originally used a material called gallium arsenide, but their new version uses lithium niobate. This new material is clear to the naked eye, making it more practical. Plus, they’ve spread the light beam over a larger area, which helps prevent losing information.

The first test of this night vision filter showed promising results. It took infrared light at 1550 nanometers (invisible to us) and converted it into visible light at 550 nanometers. This specific conversion was chosen for two reasons, according to researcher Rocio Camacho Morales.

First, 1550 nanometers is a common wavelength for infrared light used in telecommunications. Second, 550 nanometers fall within the range of visible light that human eyes are most sensitive to, allowing us to see clearly in low-light conditions.

The researcher said:

Future research will include expanding the range of wavelengths the device is sensitive to, aiming to obtain broadband IR imaging, as well as exploring image processing, including edge detection.