Scientists at the University of Science and Technology of China have developed contact lenses that allow wearers to see in the near-infrared spectrum.
The lenses use nanoparticles that absorb near-infrared light and transfer the energy to other particles, which then release the energy as visible light.
Mice and human testers could see near-infrared light, including shapes such as letters, even with their eyes closed, which is possible because infrared light can penetrate the eyelids.
The team believes the lenses could also be used to create super-vision for people with certain types of colour blindness.
Additionally, the technology could have other applications, such as in security or anti-counterfeiting, as infrared light cannot be seen by the human eye.
