Night vision contact lenses offer a glimpse into the future of eyewear

Forward-looking: While night vision is typically associated with bulky goggles that display only monochromatic images, recent experiments suggest the technology could be miniaturized for everyday eyewear. New applications of thin, lightweight filters may allow humans to perceive both infrared and visible light simultaneously.

Contact lenses and eyeglasses could one day enable people to see beyond the natural visible light spectrum. Eyewear equipped with this special technology holds promise for enhancing visibility in challenging conditions and introducing new ways to convey information.

Researchers from the University of Science and Technology of China are developing contact lenses that allow mice and humans to perceive infrared light in multiple colors.

Unlike traditional night vision goggles, these lenses don't require an external power source. Additionally, because they are transparent, they don't block visible light – allowing wearers to combine natural and infrared vision.

In the image above, the lenses change how letters appear ...