Close Menu
  • News
  • Medical
  • Technology
  • Nanomaterials
  • Research
  • Blog
    • Nasiol.com
  • Contact
    • Tech7685@gmail.com
What's Hot

New insights show universal applicability of carbyne as a sensor

May 31, 2025

A new molecular model of bilayer graphene with higher semiconducting properties

May 31, 2025

5 Nanomaterial Innovations That Didn’t Deliver (Yet)

May 30, 2025
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
Nanotech – Nanomaterials | Medical | Research | News Stories Updated Daily Nanotech – Nanomaterials | Medical | Research | News Stories Updated Daily
  • News
  • Medical
  • Technology
  • Nanomaterials
  • Research
  • Blog
    • Nasiol.com
  • Contact
    • Tech7685@gmail.com
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
Nanotech – Nanomaterials | Medical | Research | News Stories Updated Daily Nanotech – Nanomaterials | Medical | Research | News Stories Updated Daily
Home»Nanomaterials»New contact lenses allow wearers to see in the near-infrared
Nanomaterials

New contact lenses allow wearers to see in the near-infrared

May 30, 2025No Comments4 Mins Read
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Telegram LinkedIn Tumblr WhatsApp Email
New contact lenses allow wearers to see in the near-infrared
Share
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Telegram Email

A new contact lens enables humans to see near-infrared light without night vision goggles or other bulky equipment. The lens, which incorporates metallic nanoparticles that “upconvert” normally-invisible wavelengths into visible ones, could have applications for rescue workers and others who would benefit from enhanced vision in conditions with poor visibility.

The infrared (IR) part of the electromagnetic spectrum encompasses light with wavelengths between 700 nm and 1 mm. Human eyes cannot normally detect these wavelengths because opsins, the light-sensitive protein molecules that allow us to see, do not have the required thermodynamic properties. This means we see only a small fraction of the electromagnetic spectrum, typically between 400‒700 nm.

While devices such as night vision goggles and infrared-visible converters can extend this range, they require external power sources. They also cannot distinguish between different wavelengths of IR light.

Photoreceptor-binding nanoparticles

In a previous work, researchers led by neuroscientist Tian Xue of the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) injected photoreceptor-binding nanoparticles into the retinas of mice. While this technique was effective, it is too invasive and risky for human volunteers. In the new study, therefore, Xue and colleagues integrated the nanoparticles into biocompatible polymeric materials similar to those used in standard soft contact lenses.

The nanoparticles in the lenses are made from Au/NaGdF4: Yb3+, Er3+ and have a diameter of approximately 45 nm each. They work by capturing photons with lower energies (longer wavelengths) and re-emitting them as photons with higher energies (shorter wavelengths). This process is known as upconversion and the emitted light is said to be anti-Stokes shifted.

See also  Blocking electromagnetic interference opens channels for optical communications

When the researchers tested the new upconverting contact lenses (UCLs) on mice, the rodents’ behaviour suggested they could sense IR wavelengths. For example, when given a choice between a dark box and an IR-illuminated one, the lens-wearing mice scurried into the dark box. In contrast, a control group of mice not wearing lenses showed no preference for one box over the other. The pupils of the lens-wearing mice also constricted when exposed to IR light, and brain imaging revealed that processing centres in their visual cortex were activated.

Flickering seen even with eyes closed

The team then moved on to human volunteers. “In humans, the near-infrared UCLs enabled participants to accurately detect flashing Morse code-like signals and perceive the incoming direction of near-infrared (NIR) light,” Xue says, referring to light at wavelengths between 800‒1600 nm. Counterintuitively, the flashing images appeared even clearer when the volunteers closed their eyes – probably because IR light is better than visible light at penetrating biological tissue such as eyelids. Importantly, Xue notes that wearing the lenses did not affect participants’ normal vision.

The team also developed a wearable system with built-in flat UCLs. This system allowed volunteers to distinguish between patterns such as horizontal and vertical lines; S and O shapes; and triangles and squares.

But Xue and colleagues did not stop there. By replacing the upconverting nanoparticles with trichromatic orthogonal ones, they succeeded in converting NIR light into three different spectral bands. For example, they converted infrared wavelengths of 808, 980 nm and 1532 nm into 540, 450, and 650 nm respectively – wavelengths that humans perceive as green, blue and red.

See also  Biomimetic crystallization for long-pursued –COOH-functionalized gold nanocluster with near-infrared phosphorescence

“As well as allowing wearers to garner more detail within the infrared spectrum, this technology could also help colour-blind individuals see wavelengths they would otherwise be unable to detect by appropriately adjusting the absorption spectrum,” Xue tells Physics World.

According to the USTC researchers, who report their work in Cell, the devices could have several other applications. Apart from providing humans with night vision and offering an adaptation for colour blindness, the lenses could also give wearers better vision in foggy or dusty conditions.

At present, the devices only work with relatively bright IR emissions (the study used LEDs). However, the researchers hope to increase the photosensitivity of the nanoparticles so that lower levels of light can trigger the upconversion process.

Source link

Contact lenses nearinfrared wearers
Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email

Related Posts

Special contact lenses let you see infrared light – even in the dark

May 22, 2025

Nanolithography by Contact AFM Based on Anodic Oxidation

April 13, 2025

Nanosensor predicts risk of complications in early pregnancy

March 7, 2025

Nanoparticles demonstrate new and unexpected mechanism of coronavirus disinfection

February 11, 2025

Two-faced graphene nanoribbons could make the first purely carbon-based ferromagnets

February 6, 2025

Nanocrystals measure tiny forces on tiny length scales

January 22, 2025

Comments are closed.

Top Articles
Medical

Targeting TGFβ/ROCK2/YAP signaling axis to enhance drug delivery in fibrotic pancreatic cancer

News

Novel carbon nanohorn-based treatment enables efficient delivery of drugs in cancer therapy

News

Scientist propose an all-in-one surface design of copper nanowire assemblies to achieve ~100% defrosting efficiency

Editors Picks

New insights show universal applicability of carbyne as a sensor

May 31, 2025

A new molecular model of bilayer graphene with higher semiconducting properties

May 31, 2025

5 Nanomaterial Innovations That Didn’t Deliver (Yet)

May 30, 2025

Scientists identify new 2D copper boride material with unique atomic structure

May 30, 2025
About Us
About Us

Your go-to source for the latest nanotechnology breakthroughs. Explore innovations, applications, and implications shaping the future at the molecular level. Stay informed, embrace the nano-revolution.

We're accepting new partnerships right now.

Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram Pinterest
Our Picks

Automated AFM Solutions for the Semiconductor Industry

November 2, 2023

High-resolution, nanoscale imaging method could accelerate the discovery of more durable materials

November 3, 2024

Designing a tiny new tool to map and treat children’s brain cancer

May 30, 2024

Subscribe to Updates

Get the latest creative Nano Tech news from Elnano.com

© 2025 Elnano.com - All rights reserved.
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

Cleantalk Pixel