[ExI] Nightvision Contact Lenses

[Stuart LaForge]

This looks like it is should be a game changer. I haven't had a chance 
to read the article, but it looks amazing. Contact lenses that can turn 
near infrared into visible light. This is what nightvision goggles 
employed by the military and outdoorsmen do, but these contact lenses do 
it without a power source and the bulk and discomfort of wearing a 
device. I would have thought it was some kind of scam, but it is 
published in Cell which ranks just behind Nature and Science in the life 
sciences for journal reputation.

https://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(25)00454-4

Abstract
Humans cannot perceive infrared light due to the physical thermodynamic 
properties of photon-detecting opsins. However, the capability to detect 
invisible multispectral infrared light with the naked eye is highly 
desirable. Here, we report wearable near-infrared (NIR) upconversion 
contact lenses (UCLs) with suitable optical properties, hydrophilicity, 
flexibility, and biocompatibility. Mice with UCLs could recognize NIR 
temporal and spatial information and make behavioral decisions. 
Furthermore, human participants wearing UCLs could discriminate NIR 
information, including temporal coding and spatial images. Notably, we 
have developed trichromatic UCLs (tUCLs), allowing humans to distinguish 
multiple spectra of NIR light, which can function as three primary 
colors, thereby achieving human NIR spatiotemporal color vision. Our 
research opens up the potential of wearable polymeric materials for 
non-invasive NIR vision, assisting humans in perceiving and transmitting 
temporal, spatial, and color dimensions of NIR light.
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Stuart LaForge