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As days pass by, everything around us seems to be growing smaller and lighter, starting from mammoth-sized computers to the once-considered-skimpy mini skirt. The latest technology to follow this trend is that of night vision. Thanks to Franky So, a scientist at the University of Florida, we can now kiss large and heavy night vision gadgets goodbye.
Introducing Night Vision Film
Inspired by the technology used in most of today’s flat screen TVs, Mr. So created a thin film which allows infrared images to be visible. How this device works is simple – the infrared light of the dark image enters the first of seven layers and generates electricity. With the help of a separate source of electricity (a battery most probably), the initial electric charge is amplified and then changed into a visible image.
Why You Should Be Excited
One of the biggest advantages of this new technology is that night vision devices will become lighter. Just think – you can play paintball at night without letting the strain of your night vision goggles push you to commit a colorful suicide. This new light technology is also going to open the door for a stream of night vision eyeglasses, car windshields and cell phone cameras.
You can get ready to welcome revolutionary night vision gadgets with So’s film within 18 months. However, you can expect these to also be able to see and measure heat as well. So is working on this little project to help cell phone users detect body temperature, to assist drivers in detecting pedestrians as they cross the road, and to prevent home owners from using too much energy.
So, let’s wait and see what surprises time has to bring.
You may have read outdated information claiming that Generation 4 night vision does not really exist. Up until recently, technically speaking there was no such animal in night vision technology! So how did all this come about? There were in reality 4 generations of night vision goggles. But these were defined by the military as generations 0 thru 3.
Around 1998 or so, the military began to think about removing the ion barrier which was a film on the intensifier tube. If successful, this would be generation 4. The idea of removing the film was to reduce the ‘halo’ effect, increase the signal to noise ratio, improve resolution, and improve performance overall. All of this did happen, but as with all changes such as this, there were unintended consequences. Namely, higher failure rates of the intensifier tubes. Not just higher, but too high. To the military, this was unacceptable. So technically, the military’s vision for generation 4 never became a reality.
Then came along ITT. Instead of eliminating the ion barrier film altogether, they made a thin-filmed tube which produced the performance of the intended generation 4, but was in reality an improved version generation 3.
Then recently, ITT again (bless their little rocket surgeon hearts) came out with the biggest technological breakthrough in image intensification of the past 10 years! By removing the ion barrier film altogether and “Gating” the system, a substantial increases in target detection range and resolution were achieved, particularly at extremely low light levels. The use of film-less technology and auto-gated power supply resulted in true 4th generation image intensifiers! Make sense? Good!
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If you REALLY want to end your date early guys, you can get a full load of mind numbing details in this article!