emirates7 - A groundbreaking development led by a team of Chinese scientists has produced contact lenses that enable humans to perceive near-infrared light, a significant advancement with potential to revolutionize fields like medical imaging and visual aid technologies.
Published in the journal Cell on Thursday, the research blends visual neuroscience with rare earth elements to clear, wearable lenses capable of converting invisible infrared wavelengths into visible light.
Typically, human vision is limited to wavelengths between 400 and 700 nanometers, missing out on much of the information present in the natural world. Near-infrared light—ranging from 700 to 2,500 nanometers—can penetrate biological tissues effectively while causing minimal radiation damage, making it especially valuable in medical applications.
Researchers from the University of Science and Technology of China, Fudan University, and the University of Massachusetts Medical School engineered rare earth materials that translate three distinct infrared wavelengths into visible red, green, and blue light.
In earlier work, the team had successfully enabled mammals to perceive infrared light by injecting a nanomaterial into their retinas. However, recognizing the impracticality of such an approach for humans, they turned to designing a non-invasive alternative: soft contact lenses.
To achieve this, they altered the surfaces of the rare earth nanoparticles so they could be evenly mixed into polymer solutions and then formed into highly transparent lenses.
Tests with human participants wearing the lenses showed that they could detect infrared patterns, interpret time-based infrared signals, and even differentiate between three distinct "colors" of infrared light—effectively expanding the human visual range.
This innovative, power-free technology offers a more seamless visual experience compared to traditional night vision goggles and could be valuable in areas such as medical diagnostics, secure communication, search-and-rescue missions, and aiding individuals with color blindness.
Although still in the early experimental phase, the researchers are optimistic that the lenses could eventually benefit people with visual impairments and fundamentally change how humans perceive the invisible light spectrum.
Published in the journal Cell on Thursday, the research blends visual neuroscience with rare earth elements to clear, wearable lenses capable of converting invisible infrared wavelengths into visible light.
Typically, human vision is limited to wavelengths between 400 and 700 nanometers, missing out on much of the information present in the natural world. Near-infrared light—ranging from 700 to 2,500 nanometers—can penetrate biological tissues effectively while causing minimal radiation damage, making it especially valuable in medical applications.
Researchers from the University of Science and Technology of China, Fudan University, and the University of Massachusetts Medical School engineered rare earth materials that translate three distinct infrared wavelengths into visible red, green, and blue light.
In earlier work, the team had successfully enabled mammals to perceive infrared light by injecting a nanomaterial into their retinas. However, recognizing the impracticality of such an approach for humans, they turned to designing a non-invasive alternative: soft contact lenses.
To achieve this, they altered the surfaces of the rare earth nanoparticles so they could be evenly mixed into polymer solutions and then formed into highly transparent lenses.
Tests with human participants wearing the lenses showed that they could detect infrared patterns, interpret time-based infrared signals, and even differentiate between three distinct "colors" of infrared light—effectively expanding the human visual range.
This innovative, power-free technology offers a more seamless visual experience compared to traditional night vision goggles and could be valuable in areas such as medical diagnostics, secure communication, search-and-rescue missions, and aiding individuals with color blindness.
Although still in the early experimental phase, the researchers are optimistic that the lenses could eventually benefit people with visual impairments and fundamentally change how humans perceive the invisible light spectrum.