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"Shimmer Vision" Scopes See Better Using Heat

Posted by kdawson on from the coco-bop dept.

holy_calamity writes "New Scientist reports on a neat DARPA idea that uses the shimmer of heat haze to allow binoculars to see further. It works by exploiting the fact that some distortions from heat haze actually magnify objects behind them. The binoculars collect a series of frames when that is occurring to boost magnification by 3 times. The design goal is to be able to present one image a second, and to enable facial recognition at 90% accuracy at a distance of 1 km. The scopes could be on the battlefield inside of 3 years."

2 of 148 comments (clear)

  1. 3 years by narcberry · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Seems like everything will be on the battlefield inside of 3 years. Read as project will be dropped inside of 3 years after soaking up 3 years worth of government investing.

    --
    Modding me -1 troll doesn't make me wrong.
    1. Re:3 years by Hozza · · Score: 5, Insightful

      And this is *my* opinion.

      Many, if not most, of the worlds greatest inventions were developed in peacetime, for peaceful purposes.

      A short list:
      Writing
      Vaccinations
      Steam power
      Industrial revolution
      Internal combustion engine
      Light bulb
      Aeroplanes
      Transistors
      World Wide Web

      etc etc etc

      This "war is good for technology" meme is complete hogwash. And has been throughout recorded history.