In most of the action movies, spies use special glasses to see in the dark room.
Have you ever thought about why they use it and how does it look? These tools are known as Night Vision Goggles.
Here’s an article to know you about Night vision goggles, how they are working, and what are its applications.
Night Vision Goggles
The night vision goggle is a handheld or head-mounted device that looks similar to the binocular.
Night vision goggles provide the ability to see in total darkness and improves your vision in low light environments.
The first commercial night vision goggles were developed by Vladimir K. Zworykin at Radio Corporation of America, after WW-II. It’s mainly intended for civilian use.
Night vision device are also called as Night Optical Device and Night Vision Goggles. The night vision goggles are two eyepiece models; a two eye-piece that is seen through a single image tube, or a two piece sight seen through a dual image tube.
They are excellent for constant viewing while moving around the surrounding environments in deep dark situations.
The main purpose of the Night Vision Goggles is to trace out the location and target the enemies during wars at night time.
The night vision goggles are mainly used for a wide variety of applications such as military defense, law enforcement, security, hunting, navigation, surveillance, entertainment, wildlife, observation, and camping.
How Do Night Vision Goggles Work?
Night vision devices collect ambient light ie, moonlight, infra-red light, or starlight.
This light is made up of photons that pass into the photocathode tube which changes photons into electrons. Then the goggles multiply into a number of electrons.
The part of the device is called a photomultiplier. Each electron entering the photomultiplier turns into more electrons leaving it.
The leaving electrons strike the phosphor screen, and they create tiny flashes of light that provide a brighter picture of the scene.
There are two types of technology used in night vision goggles. Both technologies are often used by the police and the security. They are image enhancement and thermal imaging.
Why Does Everything Look Green Through Night Vision Goggles?
Night vision goggles use green color to see objects as the human eye can distinguish more shades of green when compared to any other color. The human eye is sensitive to light of all colors.
The image intensification screen inside the device is made of phosphor. These phosphors on the screens make green pictures as our eyes are more sensitive to green light. This is the reason for the green screen of night vision goggles.
Night vision goggles are green to maximize the received lights from natural sources such as starlight and moonlight.
They cannot work in complete darkness, they do need a light source. It’s also easier to look at green screens for a long period than to look at black and white ones.
The phosphor substance is used due to its luminance effect, in which they don’t carry color information and it glows bright green.
Applications of the Night Vision Goggles
The main application of the night vision goggles is to find the enemy and acquire them easily during night.
It is not only extensively used for military purposes but also for navigation, surveillance, and targeting.
Image enhancement and Thermal imaging are often used by the police and the securities, particularly for surveillance. The following applications of night vision technologies are explained.
Military Defense and Law Enforcement
The applications of night vision goggle in Military Defense and Law Enforcement are great when compared to other purposes.
Night Vision Goggles allow the warfighters to see the enemies in the night and also in low light environments.
It helps them to detect and prevent the disruption of an enemy. Two types of night vision devices are used for military purposes such as Image intensifiers and thermal imagers.
Best surveillance can be done in Low light environments using the help of night vision techniques.
Image Enhancement
Image-enhancement technology is also called night-vision devices (NVDs). It gathers tiny amounts of light including infra-red spectrum that are invisible to our eyes.
It amplifies the light and makes images easier to see. Most of the night vision equipment is used for image enhancement technology.
Thermal Imaging
First, it was developed for military purposes, and then it has been used for Police, Law Enforcement, Security Professions, Fire & Rescue operations.
The Night vision goggles use Thermal Imaging technology to capture infrared light. They use infrared radiation and thermal energy to collect information about the objects to display clear images even in low light environments.
Thermal imaging technology works in the total absence of light and can even work in smoke, fog, smog, haze, etc.
Wildlife Observatory
Generally, Night vision goggles are widely used in wildlife observations. With this, you can clearly view the habits of animals during trekking without disturbing them.
There are night vision devices such as telescopes, spotting scopes, monoculars, rangefinders, cameras, goggles, and binoculars. All these devices can be used in various Wildlife Observations.
If you’re planning to go for a trekking or camping trip, these devices will help you enjoy viewing the environments.
Many hunters and wildlife enthusiasts use the night vision devices for observing nocturnal animals.
The night vision goggle provides you clear and bright images of the targets even after dark and low light conditions by using moon and starlight.
Many Warm-blooded animals are active at night so the devices with thermal technology provide you clear and you can easily acquire them during day and night.
Moreover, it has the capacity to display images of human bodies with their heat signatures.
Security
When it comes to security purposes, the night vision goggles can be used to see the surrounding environments of your location at night to fight against burglars.
The application of night vision goggles includes border security and disruption.
This device can be used to gather information and to communicate those pieces of information between command centers and sensors. The information is elucidated and feedbacks are determined there.
Fire & Rescue Team
Generally, Thermal imagers are widely used in Fire & rescue applications when compared to night vision devices as it senses heat.
The night vision goggle is used by the Aerial fire detection teams to control the fire during fire accidents.
Thermal imagers are also used to spot overloaded loose electrical connections or fuse panels.
Conclusion
Night vision devices are the favorites for many professionals to get better visibility during dark conditions. They are prove that great for various outdoor operations such as Wildlife Observing, Military, hunting, target shooting, and Law enforcement. But nowadays these devices are greatly used in the military and many other applications. Extensive training would be needed to make providers facile with their use.