New Delhi, May 23
An international team led by Chinese scientists has developed revolutionary contact lenses that allow humans to see near-infrared light, a breakthrough that could transform medical imaging and visual assistance technologies.
The study, published in the journal Cell on Thursday, combines visual neuroscience with rare earth elements to create transparent, wearable lenses that convert invisible infrared light into visible images, news agency reported.
The human eye only detects light with wavelengths between 400 and 700 nanometres, thus missing much of nature's information.
Near-infrared light, with wavelengths between 700 and 2,500 nanometres, excels at penetrating biological tissue with minimal radiation damage.
The researchers from the University of Science and Technology of China, Fudan University and the University of Massachusetts Medical School (US) engineered rare earth elements that transform three different infrared wavelengths into red, green and blue visible light.
Previously, scientists in the team developed a nanomaterial that, when injected into animal retinas, enabled mammals to see near-infrared light naturally. Since retinal injections aren't practical for humans, they started to design a wearable, non-invasive alternative using soft contact lenses.
The team modified the surface of the rare earth nanoparticles, enabling them to be dispersed in polymer solutions and ultimately fabricate highly transparent contact lenses, according to the study.