Night Vision: Not Just An Ordinary Spy Device

At the mention of night vision devices, images cannear infrared spectrum to visible images that enables
come to mind like spy and action movies, soldiersthe eye to see objects as far as 200 feet in near
scouring an area with the device at night, helicopterscomplete darkness. This night vision device displays a
hovering overhead aiding the police in tracking fugitivesgreen image because the peak sensitivity of the
or detectives using the device to spy on people theyhuman vision is near the green range. It also uses two
were assigned to track.different technologies depending on your choice of the
Night vision devices are actually light enhancing andnight vision device.
thermal imaging tools. It makes a particular subjectOne uses the Image enhancement where the night
visible by the warmth it emits or observable by usingvision device enables the viewer to see images by
limited light. It enhances a spectral range making thecollecting tiny amounts of light that may already be
viewer see lights and images that would otherwiseimperceptible and amplifying it to make the image
have been invisible to the bare human eye. The normalvisible. The other is through thermal imaging where the
human eye is capable to seeing images that areheat emitted by the subject is used and translated into
confined to a certain electromagnetic spectrum thatimages. The principle is that hotter objects tend to
the brain interprets. Night vision devices may usetransmit more light than the cooler ones like stones and
another source of light that enhances images enablingtrees.
the user to detect objects that improves the detectionNight vision devices were originally intended for military
capacity of the normal eye.use to aid them in tracking down an opponent at night.
In theory the human eye can see these weakerIt has evolved now into many different uses.
sources of lights but the brain has a way of filteringLately night vision devices are finding use outside of
out these lights that we are only capable of seeing athe military and police detection work. When you are
very limited number of photons. With the aid of a nightout camping, night vision devices could prove very
vision device, these photons intensified by the photohelpful. Businesses have also been installing night vision
multiplier tube enables us to see different colors ofdevices within and without their properties to enable
lights in a subject. When seen though and NVD, anthem to observe if something has been touched or
image that is nearly invisible becomes observable.changed during the night. Night vision devices are also
Many animals have this capacity to see through theproving to have invaluable aid in detecting soil that
dark. Animals that can hunt at night uses a largerhave been disturbed, buried objects, footprints and
optical aperture, an improved composition in the retina,almost anything that needs to be determined in
optics that are more photo-efficient that enables theminstances where there is very limited lighting.
to use weak lights and see better in the dark.Some of the more common applications for the night
Night vision devices that most people are familiar withvision devices are entertainment, hidden-object
are the night vision goggles. This night vision device hasdetection, hunting, law enforcement, military, navigation,
an image intensifier that converts weak lights from thesecurity, surveillance and wildlife observation.