Archive for October, 2010

Night Vision Glasses

Tuesday, October 19th, 2010 at 1:18 pm

The major equipments that come under the category of night vision devices are binoculars, goggles and telescopes that utilize some special media for increasing the intensity of light at night. These night vision glasses can use different mechanisms like thermal imaging, image intensifier and active infrared methodologies. The cost factor of these night vision glasses may vary from simple customer products costing less to high end night vision glasses costing thousands of pounds.

Types of Night vision glasses

Depending upon the working mechanism, night vision glasses can be categorized easily into two assortments, each is described below; -

Active night vision systems: - In these night vision devices, special equipment is employed to view in a significant area in non observable light with the infrared range of 700 nm to 1000 nm. Along with a special camera is also integrated to observe the intensity of light. These glasses are basically used by ordinary customers, CCTV cameras and local law enforcement but are not a good alternative for military applications.

Passive Night vision glasses: - in these night vision devices, ambient light is collected and intensified so that customers could view the images clearly without any blur.

For night vision glasses, four generations have been introduced by Army Night vision Electronic sensor Directorate US, but now-a-days, fifth generation has been also defined that is considered to have much advanced night vision glasses. In third generation of night vision glasses, micro plate was used along with photocathode made up of gallium arsenide that is much better as compare to earlier photocathode.

These night vision glasses have been modernized by the introduction of a new technique named auto gating that enables the customers to change quickly as light condition changes.