Contact Lenses That Provide Supervision Developed By Scientists

Scientists have claimed to develop infrared contact lenses that can allow people to see in the dark and, more surprisingly, see with their eyes closed. By combining flexible polymers found in traditional contact lenses with nanoparticles, the researchers at the University of Science and Technology of China managed to create wearable contact lenses that allowed them to see in the dark.

According to a study published on Thursday (May 22) in the journal Cell, these lenses do not require a power source, unlike traditional night-vision goggles.

"Our research opens up the potential for non-invasive wearable devices to give people super-vision," senior author Tian Xue, a neuroscientist at the University of Science and Technology of China, said in a statement.

"There are many potential applications right away for this material. For example, flickering infrared light could be used to transmit information in security, rescue, encryption or anti-counterfeiting settings."

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The nanoparticles in the new contact lens technology absorb infrared light and convert it into wavelengths that are visible to mammalian eyes. The nanoparticles specifically enable detection of “near-infrared light,” which is infrared light in the 800-1600 nm range, just beyond what humans can already see.

The lenses were first tested on mice that favoured dark boxes over those illuminated by infrared light, while those without the lenses showed no preference. Afterwards, the lenses were tried on humans who managed to perceive flickering infrared light and pick up on its direction. This infrared vision was enhanced when the participants closed their eyes.

“We also found that when the subject closes their eyes, they're even better able to receive this flickering information, because near-infrared light penetrates the eyelid more effectively than visible light, so there is less interference from visible light," said Mr Xue.

Though the creation may appear like a gadget straight out of a sci-fi movie, the researchers said it had real-world uses.

“This technology has a wide range of practical applications, including infrared information encoding and transmission, enhanced vision in poor visibility conditions (e.g., foggy or dusty conditions), and integration into smart devices for rescue and emergencies," the study stated.