infrared contact lenses

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dragon
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infrared contact lenses

Post by dragon »


Seeing in the dark could take on a whole new meaning. Scientists at the University of Michigan have created the first infrared light detector that is thin enough to be integrated with contact lenses. It's made from graphene.

Graphene is a thin sheet of carbon atoms. Considered the world's strongest material, it can sense the entire infrared spectrum, as well as visible and ultraviolet light. Researchers believe the material can someday give people super-human vision.

"We can make the entire design super-thin," Zhaohui Zhong, assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering, said in a press release. "It can be stacked on a contact lens or integrated with a cell phone."

But graphene has its limits. The super strong material can only absorb about 2.3 percent of the light that hits it. And it can't capture enough light to create an electrical signal, which is required to be an effective sensor.

Faced with this challenge, Zhong and colleague Ted Norris, professor of electrical engineering and computer science, worked with a team of graduate students to design a new way of generating and measuring electrical signals.

They did it by shifting their attention away from measuring electrons that are freed when light hits graphene to how to amplify the signal. The researchers looked at how nearby currents are affected by the electrical charges in light-induced graphene.

The device they created is smaller than a pinky nail, and has an insulating layer sandwiched between two sheets of graphene. Electrons are freed when light hits the top layer of graphene, which then creates positively charged holes. The electrons slip through middle barrier into the bottom layer of graphene, where a current runs through.

Positively charged holes left behind create an electric field that affects the flow of electricity going through the bottom layer. The process creates a way for the researchers to measure the change in electric current, which makes it possible to deduce the brightness of the light hitting the graphene.

One of the challenges of infrared detectors is that it gets hot. The researchers say their infrared detector doesn't require bulky cooling systems, like other detectors on the market. Making a room-temperature light detector opens new doors for such devices.

"If we integrate it with a contact lens or other wearable electronics, it expands your vision," Zhong said. "It provides you another way of interacting with your environment."

The scientists have not yet created a contact lens prototype, but believe their discovery will likely have military and scientific uses. Their findings were published in the journal Nature Nanotechnology.

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Borgholio
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Re: infrared contact lenses

Post by Borgholio »

I can't wait for the day when someone asks me, "Can you see anything with those?"

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General Zod
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Re: infrared contact lenses

Post by General Zod »

So what happens if you're wearing those and someone turns on a light? Sounds cool in theory, but . . .
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Crayz9000
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Re: infrared contact lenses

Post by Crayz9000 »

It's infrared, not light-amplification. Think more security cameras that work both day and night. Even those need an IR source to work at night, which is why they are usually equipped with a ring of IR LEDs.
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Re: infrared contact lenses

Post by Elheru Aran »

It might make you blink as the lens transitions from one light source to the other, but it wouldn't be a vampire-like cringing from the light. It'd be more like, "shit, wait a minute, ok there we are". The infrared might wash out as visible light takes over; that's about it.
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Re: infrared contact lenses

Post by Eternal_Freedom »

Since my eyes suck (especially in the dark) and I have to wear glasses all the time, this would be awesome. I'd finally be able to navigate safely at night where there isn't any existing illumination (streelights for instance, or a full moon).
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madd0ct0r
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Re: infrared contact lenses

Post by madd0ct0r »

only if you had an IR torch though.

human eyes can just pick up IR anyway. this is a wee project i've fancied trying for a while, but bright sunlight and wales don't go together well: http://amasci.com/amateur/irgoggl.html
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TronPaul
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Re: infrared contact lenses

Post by TronPaul »

The one thing I'm worried about that they mentioned is heat. I would not enjoy red hot contacts in my eyes. Would make for an interesting end to a villian in a movie though.
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Re: infrared contact lenses

Post by Purple »

In that case why not glasses? Seriously, this would be awesome if it were integrated into something akin to sunglasses. Not only could it help you get home from a club at night but it would also make you look cool whilst in there.
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