CANBERRA, June 16 (Xinhua) -- Australian scientists have made a major breakthrough that could allow people to see clearly at night.

In a study published on Wednesday researchers from Australian National University (ANU) revealed that they have developed a thin film that can be applied to glasses to increase the night visibility of users.

The film, which is thinner than a human hair, is made of nanoscale crystals.

Rocio Camacho Morales, a postdoctoral fellow at ANU and lead researcher on the project, said the technology could have a wide range of uses.

"This is a very important breakthrough, and it will be able to provide lots of opportunities, like being able to drive more safely at night in case an animal jumps out of nowhere," she said. "We have made the invisible visible."

She said the film, which was developed over five years with help from researchers in Britain and Europe, was an easier alternative than traditional heavy night-vision devices that often lead to neck injuries for users.

"In normal night-vision or infrared cameras, it requires a cooling system for it to work, and so there is often a lot of noise going on as well," Morales said.

"The current technology converts infrared lights to an electrical signal, which is then displayed on a monitor," she said. "In our case, the nanoscale crystal film will all be optical, so no conversion is required."

While further research is needed to determine how the technology could be advanced, Morales said it could be mass produced in Australia, once further research was conducted. Enditem

Related

Go to Forum >>0 Comment(s)