BEIJING (Kashmir English): Chinese scientists have developed contact lenses that could detect invisible infrared light, paving way for superhuman vision in everyday life.
The soft lenses, described in the journal Cell, would allow people to see near-infrared light.
The development could write a new chapter in human history. The lenses use upconversion nanoparticles to absorb invisible infrared radiation and convert it into visible red, green or blue light.
When worn, users can see infrared signals while still perceiving the full range of normal visible colours — no power source required.
Contact lenses are transparent
Unlike night vision goggles, the contact lenses are transparent and can be worn in daylight. According to the researchers, the achievement could one day lead to advanced contacts, glasses, or wearables capable of enhancing human vision well beyond natural limits.
A neuroscientist at the University of Science and Technology of China, Prof Tian Xue, called the project a step towards “super-vision”.
He was of the view that the technology could also be adapted to assist people with colour blindness by converting unseen wavelengths into detectable hues.
Another member of the team, Dr Yuqian Ma, said that more than half of the Sun’s energy arrives as infrared radiation — most of it invisible to humans.
“Over half of the solar radiation energy, existing as infrared light, remains imperceptible to humans,” said Ma. “Our work brings us closer to perceiving what has always been hidden.
“Previously the same group used injections of nanoparticles behind the retina to give mice near-infrared vision.
But understanding that such methods are less likely to gain human approval, the scientists opted for a non-invasive route with wearable lenses.
The current version of the lenses does not enable users to see body heat or thermal radiation, as it lacks sensitivity to far-infrared.
But the team is working on improving their efficiency, hoping of enhancing real-world infrared vision in the future.
