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How Do Night Vision Goggles Work?

Veritasium · 8.4M views · 2023-11-04 · 27:16

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Overview

Veritasium visits the US Navy's Crane facility to test top night vision goggles. It explains how image intensifier tubes and thermal or digital systems work and compares the generations of the technology.

On Hacker News

Commenters point to it as a clear explanation of the different types of night vision and why analog image intensifiers behave differently from digital ones.

Recommended by 2 HN people across 2 months · HN mentions 2023–2024

Topics

Everyday physics & science demosMilitary history & warfareConsumer devices & gadgets
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night visionimage intensifierthermal imagingopticsmilitary technology

What people said

alberth · 2024-06 · Recommendation

If you want to learn more ... Vertasium has a good video on the 3-different types of Night Vision. [VIDEO] 1. image intensification 2. active illumination 3. thermal imaging

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trash_cat · 2023-12 · Recommendation

You will find Veritasium's video on night vision goggles [1] very interesting. He explains well how they work, and the pros and cons of each implementation and generation. [1] [VIDEO]

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fragmede · 2024-02 · Reference

[VIDEO] There are three types of night vision, and the consumer grade active illumination stuff using infrared light is covered by EAR (Department of Commerce’s Export Administration Regulations) instead of ITAR (which is still significant, but less strict). Which doesn't detract from your point, which is that night vision is hamstrung by regulations. With all the advances in technology, the consumer grade stuff should really be more accessible because it would save lives if drivers could see better in the dark.

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Sources

Video by Veritasium, played through YouTube.

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