I want to be able to see "invisible" wavelengths too.

[T_Warne]

I think this is absolutely fascinating. Injecting an "ocular nanoparticle" that can detect near-infrared light (NIR) directly into the eyeball allows mice to see in near IR.

https://www.cnet.com/news/scientists-give-mice-infrared-vision-turning-them-into-tiny-predators/
"Mouse eyes, like human eyes, are limited to seeing "visible light", which makes up just a tiny portion of the electromagnetic spectrum. Typically, our eyes only respond to wavelengths in the spectrum between approximately 400 and 700 nanometers. Wavelengths longer than 700 nanometers are invisible to us and are designated as "infrared" (and even longer wavelengths are things like microwaves and radio waves, which we certainly cannot see).

To enable the mouse eye to see in infrared, the research team developed a nanoparticle that would shift the wavelength of incoming infrared light (at 980 nanometers) to a wavelength that was detectable by the cells in the eye (535 nanometers). The nanoparticle is so tiny that it can be injected into the inner eye where it attaches to the retinal cells -- those responsible for converting light to electric signals that can be interpreted by the brain. And by shifting the wavelength down to 535 nanometers, the mouse eye should be able to detect the once-invisible infrared light as a green glow.
The researchers tested if the mouse could detect the light by assessing their pupils. When exposed to light, mouse (and human) pupils contract to regulate how much light is passing into the eye. If the nanoparticles were working, the scientists should be able to shine the invisible infrared light into the eye and still see the pupils contract.
And that's exactly what happened. Supermouse was born. "

Here is another article with more info and a nice illustration:
https://www.slashgear.com/night-vision-eyedrops-nanoparticles-research-infrared-vision-28567893/

 

[CurtisOliver]

I think this is absolutely fascinating. Injecting an "ocular nanoparticle" that can detect near-infrared light (NIR) directly into the eyeball allows mice to see in near IR.

https://www.cnet.com/news/scientists-give-mice-infrared-vision-turning-them-into-tiny-predators/
"Mouse eyes, like human eyes, are limited to seeing "visible light", which makes up just a tiny portion of the electromagnetic spectrum. Typically, our eyes only respond to wavelengths in the spectrum between approximately 400 and 700 nanometers. Wavelengths longer than 700 nanometers are invisible to us and are designated as "infrared" (and even longer wavelengths are things like microwaves and radio waves, which we certainly cannot see).

To enable the mouse eye to see in infrared, the research team developed a nanoparticle that would shift the wavelength of incoming infrared light (at 980 nanometers) to a wavelength that was detectable by the cells in the eye (535 nanometers). The nanoparticle is so tiny that it can be injected into the inner eye where it attaches to the retinal cells -- those responsible for converting light to electric signals that can be interpreted by the brain. And by shifting the wavelength down to 535 nanometers, the mouse eye should be able to detect the once-invisible infrared light as a green glow.
The researchers tested if the mouse could detect the light by assessing their pupils. When exposed to light, mouse (and human) pupils contract to regulate how much light is passing into the eye. If the nanoparticles were working, the scientists should be able to shine the invisible infrared light into the eye and still see the pupils contract.
And that's exactly what happened. Supermouse was born. "

Here is another article with more info and a nice illustration:
https://www.slashgear.com/night-vision-eyedrops-nanoparticles-research-infrared-vision-28567893/

Fascinating, I would want to see in IR too. But for me personally, I'd rather perceive IR as red still, but understand why they chose green.

This would have serious implications for those that operate and align IR lasers.

 

[RedCowboy]

Yea I read about that too, I had found it here > https://www.laserfocusworld.com/art...-to-see-infrared-may-work-for-humans-too.html

 

[steve001]

I've read somewhere that if two IR photons of x wavelength hit a human cone in quick succession the combined energy is enough to trigger a response visible as green light.

 

[CurtisOliver]

Yes, this phenomenon has been observed. Our eyes are capable of the two photon absorption (TPA) too. And not just green is observed.
It is regarded as isomerisation in this article. It is technically possible to observe cyan light without no other aid from a 980nm IR source. However the conditions have to be right.

https://www.pnas.org/content/pnas/111/50/E5445.full.pdf

 

[Cyparagon]

Sounds nice in theory, until you realize there's not much to see in this band. IR remotes and... not much else. Anyone that's looked around a room with a IR-pass camera will tell you that. You also may have trouble sleeping, seeing as many things passively give out that color with greater intensity than their visible counterparts, and that wavelength is quite transmissible by the eyelid. This also kind-of makes you color blind... is that object green, or is it nearly red-hot?

This is one superpower I think I'd pass on.

 

[LSRFAQ]

Having "Seen" TPA the levels of peak power involved can be from very low to very ridiculous. .. Was in a forging country visiting a laser lab complex ... " Hey, look through this door!" " Is it safe", says I" , Oh Yeah! So I look, "DO you see Blue Stray Light Everywhere?" "That's femtosecond IR doing two photon!" Yeah, but their daffynition of safe and my definition of safe are TWO DIFFERENT THINGS...

Knowing guys who receive some nasty eye treatments with needles due to old age, well, as for adding nanomaterials to the back of my eye without a decade of side effects tests, I'd mutter something about agreeing with Dr. McCoy and Not getting my retinal molecules scrambled.

Would rather have direct to brain electrodes implanted then have anyone mess with my eyes..

Steve

 

[lasersbee]

Quite Interesting Ted...
I use a camera when needed.

Jerry

 

[T_Warne]

Using a camera to view IR is probably a better idea than a permanent modification to our body.

 

[Alaskan]

I wonder what it would be like if we could see both a broader spectrum as well as more variation between wavelengths throughout the light spectrum instead of stuck with only red, green and blue light cones. If we could, no doubt we would then live in a far more colorful world, but that would be so much more information to process, for us nature see's it as a waste and just chose the short, middle and long wavelengths in a fairly narrow band of the light spectrum to detect.

 

[Wolfwood]

hmm maybe just do one eye and use a ir blocking patch until you need to scan something.
on second thought I'll do like laserbee and use the camera.
but seriously very cool. when you can turn it on and off at will sign me up.