Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

“Surpassing the Evolutionary Boundaries of Biological Photoreception”: Scientists Invent Eyeglasses That Let Wearers See the Infrared in Full Color
The Debrief ^ | 08/06/2026 | Christopher Plain

Posted on 08/07/2026 7:10:05 AM PDT by BenLurkin

Scientists from the Beijing Institute of Technology have revealed a colloidal quantum dot (CQD)-based infrared-to-visible upconverter that transforms the infrared spectrum into full color, allowing people to ‘see’ the infrared in the visible light spectrum.

The research team behind the novel invention said their upconverter can be used in eyeglasses to improve human vision and for augmented reality (AR) applications. They also reported a successful implantation of an upconverter in mice, opening the possibility of an implantable photoreceptor to repair or improve vision in human eyes.

Attempts to Convert Infrared to Full Color Face Limitations

In a published study detailing the novel, full-color IR glasses, the human eye is “inherently blind” to infrared radiation. Although IR radiation interacts with the retina, infrared wavelengths lack the energy to trigger the photoisomerization of the retinal chromophore that lets people distinguish colors. As a result, humans don’t have visual access to over half of the solar spectrum.

Still, the researchers write, “harnessing this imperceptible radiation is critical, as infrared perception unlocks a vast reservoir of inaccessible information.” For example, this added visual information enables critical functions in other animals, such as navigation in darkness or detecting predators and prey from their heat. Still, they observe that our natural visual-light spectrum vision is “utterly inadequate” to access this information that so many animals rely upon.

In their study, the researchers highlight recent advances in accessing the IR spectrum, including “ocular injectable photoreceptor-binding upconversion nanoparticles” that convert infrared light into visible emissions. Other studies have also evaluated wearable lenses with nonlinear upconversion projecting infrared-transformed visible light onto the cornea and photovoltaic nanowire networks.

(Excerpt) Read more at thedebrief.org ...


TOPICS: Science
KEYWORDS: infrared

Click here: to donate by Credit Card

Or here: to donate by PayPal

Or by mail to: Free Republic, LLC - PO Box 9771 - Fresno, CA 93794

Thank you very much and God bless you.


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-24 next last

1 posted on 08/07/2026 7:10:05 AM PDT by BenLurkin
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: SunkenCiv
colloidal quantum dot (CQD)-based infrared-to-visible upconverter... including “ocular injectable photoreceptor-binding upconversion nanoparticles”


2 posted on 08/07/2026 7:13:09 AM PDT by BenLurkin (The above is not a statement of fact. It is opinion or satire. Or both.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: BenLurkin

AR (augmented reality), AI (artificial intelligence) - where we be headed?


3 posted on 08/07/2026 7:14:48 AM PDT by cymbeline
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: BenLurkin

“ocular injectable photoreceptor-binding upconversion nanoparticles” — You first, Ben. Report back to us on what you see.


4 posted on 08/07/2026 7:16:05 AM PDT by ProtectOurFreedom
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: BenLurkin
...they observe that our natural visual-light spectrum vision is “utterly inadequate” to access this information that so many animals rely upon.

That is why we go further than the animals by inventing all sorts of sensor systems.

5 posted on 08/07/2026 7:20:35 AM PDT by GingisK
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: cymbeline
AR (augmented reality), AI (artificial intelligence) - where we be headed?

As always

Into the Great Unknown.

6 posted on 08/07/2026 7:23:49 AM PDT by Pontiac (The welfare state must fail because it is contrary to human nature and diminisheRs the human spirit.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: BenLurkin

Good demonstration of infrared vs. visible light here:

https://mhmyers.com/ir/gsir/gsir.html


7 posted on 08/07/2026 7:24:04 AM PDT by zeebee
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: BenLurkin

My translation from that bizarre blizzard of babble was “stuff that lets you see more”.

Lol.


8 posted on 08/07/2026 7:24:23 AM PDT by cgbg (Four seconds is all it takes to beat the brainwashing.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: BenLurkin

Umm... false color.


9 posted on 08/07/2026 7:25:30 AM PDT by Merrick (It's a car - that runs on water, man!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: BenLurkin

Having UV vision would be interesting as well. Many insects and birds have UV vision, so to a bee or a hummingbird many flowers that look solid white to us have colorful spots and bands to mark their “target”.


10 posted on 08/07/2026 7:28:36 AM PDT by ek_hornbeck
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: BenLurkin
“ocular injectable photoreceptor-binding upconversion nanoparticles”

Nope

I see no need to permanently alter the body God gave me to see infrared light.

I also can only see this as altering the way I see visible colors to enable me to see infrared.

I am unwilling to give up some colors to gain others.

11 posted on 08/07/2026 7:32:41 AM PDT by Pontiac (The welfare state must fail because it is contrary to human nature and diminisheRs the human spirit.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: BenLurkin

Were these the sunglasses featured in the movie “They Live”?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjw_DuNkOUw&list=PLZbXA4lyCtqqTGIrYIiKQ1u_KKbuyLIi2&index=2


12 posted on 08/07/2026 7:41:53 AM PDT by PAR35
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: cymbeline
AR (augmented reality), AI (artificial intelligence) - where we be headed?

La la land it looks like.

13 posted on 08/07/2026 7:42:36 AM PDT by libertylover (The HBM (Has Been Media) is almost all AGENDA-DRIVEN and HATE-DRIVEN, not-truth driven)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Merrick

More like arbitrary color. We arbitrarily assign certain infrared frequencies visible light frequencies that correspond to red green or blue to make them visible.


14 posted on 08/07/2026 7:43:39 AM PDT by aquila48 (Do not let them make you "care" ! Guilting you is how they control you. )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: BenLurkin

Built-in night vision would be a game-changer.


15 posted on 08/07/2026 7:43:59 AM PDT by bigbob (We are all Charlie Kirk now)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: libertylover; cymbeline
AR (augmented reality), AI (artificial intelligence) - where we be headed?

I'd say we're headed for a rehash of the early 2000s dot com bubble, though on a larger scale with data centers, AI, and especially cryptocurrency. Once the hype dies down people will realize that they've been barking up the wrong tree. And as far as I can tell, augmented reality is just an amusing plaything.

16 posted on 08/07/2026 7:45:16 AM PDT by ek_hornbeck
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: BenLurkin
I tried wearing those IR glasses once. Trust me. You don’t want to see what I saw.


17 posted on 08/07/2026 7:45:56 AM PDT by Leaning Right
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: BenLurkin
images
18 posted on 08/07/2026 7:45:57 AM PDT by PGR88
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: bigbob

So would built-in 20mm cannons.


19 posted on 08/07/2026 7:46:27 AM PDT by GingisK
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: BenLurkin

Does it has a quantum price?

It’s either very expensive or free. But you don’t know until you buy it.


20 posted on 08/07/2026 7:48:31 AM PDT by DannyTN
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-24 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson