Infra-red goggles.

[Anachronist]

I make goggles that allow the wearer to see in the near infra-red spectrum. They are unpowered, and work by filtering out the "visible" spectrum, and passing only infra-red, to which the human eye is actually slightly sensitive. One never registers these colors, however, because any time the light is bright enough to activate these receptors, the "visible" light is far bright enough to completely overpower the little infra-red actually registered. Wearing them is like being in a parallel dimension. Some objects are bright, snowy white, while others are dim. Objects that are "visibly" the same color are drastically different hues. Substances that were previously transparent are opaque, and vice-versa. The ambient light must be bright (midday sun), but it's more than worth stumbling around your neighborhood to experience another world.

I can modify any pair of goggles with removable and/or clear lenses to see infra-red, providing that the design of the goggles is such that the only meaningful quantity of light reaching the eyes is coming through the lenses. If there is too much light leakage, it will blow out the infra-red, and all you will see is the inside of the goggles, with apparently opaque lenses. I will do this for you for a mere $10.00, OR a cooler pair of goggles than I have (this isn't hard). You pay shipping both ways. If you have cool goggles, but all you want is infra-red goggles, regardless of style, you can just send me your goggles and I'll send you back the pair I already have modified. Or if you have two pairs of cool goggles, and want one modified, send me both and I'll send you back one modified, and keep the other as payment.

On the vast majority of goggles, certainly those with removable/interchangable lenses, this modification is completely reversible and re-fitable. Basically, they are just special optical filters that fit into the lenses. I just need the goggles present to fit them.

If anyone is interested, PM me for info, or if you have any questions post in the thread.

Regards,
Alexander

[heavyporker]

Wow... always wanted to try infra-red goggles.. Hmm.

[phineas sheridan]

as soon as i get goggles, i will PM you
this is friggin awesome

d

[Tinker]

How do you get a steampunk out of the workshop and down to the beach?  Give him infra-red goggles and explain how most swimsuits are transparent to infra-red.  Downside is you stagger around like you're wearing a welding helmet.  About that much light comes through. 

Here's a bit more info for the do-it-yourself crowd, straight from the inventor.

http://amasci.com/amateur/irgoggl.html


A.

[Nicholas Ward]

I seem to recall making a pair of these goggles several years ago, using (then) recently purchased goggles and some blue and red filter gel, available for very reasonable prices (or free if you work in the theater). Congo blue and primary red are the colors to use, as they block out a good portion of the visible light spectrum. Now, keep in mind that while you will see (on a sunny day) pink and purple foliage and those errant mustard stains you thought you had removed from your clothing, the world will still be a very dim place as these goggles do not amplify infrared lighting. It is not recommended to walk or operate any sort of personal conveyance (horseless carriages especially) as the danger to yourself and others will be great.

I do remember stumbling on many a sidewalk and looking quite the fool...

[Mr. Shank]

No offense to you Mr. Anachronist, because Im sure you can do it well, but I would rather do it myself.
Seriously though, all it is is putting on a filter that you can get at the store or maybe off line...
right?

[phuphuphnik]

What wavelength are the filters? Seems like fun.

[Nicholas Ward]

The filters are easy enough to make. One sheet of filter gel would be enough to make many many filters for goggles. Just cut the gel into shapes that will fit behind or in front of your goggle lenses. You'll need several layers to get the appropriate effect...I do believe that I ended up using quite a few layers myself....six, if I remember correctly.

[Copper Sulphate]

What wavelength are the filters? Seems like fun.

The link provided by Tinker has spectral transmission curves down toward the bottom of the page, including the resulting 'human' IR vision.

C.S.

[Mr. Shank]

Well, once I make my goggles... (if ever)
Than this will definately be put into them...
infrared FOR THE WIN!!!
WOO HOO

[Tinker]

Here's a random googled source for congo blue gels. 

http://setshop.com/product_info.php?cPath=30_76_78&products_id=717&osCsid=a1f871ced94e8bb52fe51739919a81ee

I'm imagining a fair amount of the people who buy congo blue gels are doing it for infrared filters:  the 'people who bought this also bought' section lists several different reds as the top 'also bought' items.

A.

[Anachronist]

You're all sucking the fun and mystery right out of it. Besides, I have a bunch of extra filter gels that I need to get rid of.

Fine, send me a stamp and an envelope and I'll send you enough filter gel to make your own, but you would have enjoyed it a lot more if you had sent your goggles off to some mad tinkerer on the other side of the country. You're just robbing yourselves of a more magical world.

Regards,
Alexander

P.S. I strongly encourage walking with them. A few stumbles and a little embarassment is well worth the experience.

[heavyporker]

How about making me an pair of infra-red goggles in trade for a swap of some kind? A portrait, perhaps? As in, send me a photo of yourself, I'll see about doing a portrait of you in a couple styles?

I always wanted to try doing these Victorian silhouette portraits. These were awesome, and seen far too rarely nowadays.

[Anachronist]

Hey, that would be great. I've always wanted a portrait of myself, and lamented the demise of portraiture as it was known before photography. In fact, that sounds like such a nice trade, I'll do some other goggle upgrade, too. I don't know what, but I'll let the goggles we use inspire me. I'll keep it reversible, in case you don't like it.

Contact me via Private Aethergraph to work out the details.

Regards,
Alexander

[Demosthenes]

How do you get a steampunk out of the workshop and down to the beach?  Give him infra-red goggles and explain how most swimsuits are transparent to infra-red.  Downside is you stagger around like you're wearing a welding helmet.  About that much light comes through. 

Here's a bit more info for the do-it-yourself crowd, straight from the inventor.

http://amasci.com/amateur/irgoggl.html


A.

[HAC]

Hmm. I wonder if this technique could be used to modify a standard daylight filter for infra-read photography.  The cost of the Wratten and Hoya filters is ridiculous.. Time to experiment..
Thanks for the info and inspiration.
Cheers
Harold

[Tinkergirl]

*chuckles*  Ah yes - I have modified a pair of my own goggles to do this also - which is why if you search the very oldest posts on Brass Goggles, you'll see that I commented that I needed to tape up the sides of them to keep the seeping light out.  I find that at least 5 layers of filter is best, though on the three sunny days in Britain per year, you can use 6 layers for better effect.

It's a glorious view though - so strange and it makes me feel like I'm wandering around on some alien planet (which is just giggle-inducing).  Some black clothes glow a brilliant red, while others are as pitch as the darkest night.  Many flowers have peculiar and unexpected patterns (generally the typical 'bullseye' pattern to attract flying things) that just boggle the mind.  Trees and grass glow brilliantly, red cars are RED and the roads inky blackness (with the yellow lines strangely reflective).

Nothing quite like walking home from work with a pair of apparently opaque goggles on, giggling to yourself and stopping to stare at apparently mundane things.  *chuckles*  Roll on summer!

[Thee Reverend Obskure]

Regarding the question about using this method to photograph things...  I've affixed a double thickness of developed but not exposed negative film over the lens of my old old digital camera, and on sunny days it works wonderfully.  In full noon, or late afternoon sunlight (in the Pacific NW, anyway), the foliage on trees appears white like snow, as does the grass.  My camera is old enough that it doesn't allow you to change settings for f stop or anything else, it does allow for selecting whether or not the flash is on, off or automatic and when taking NIR photos, I turn the flash off.  This isn't too much of a problem, but for the fact that I need to procure a tripod as holding the camera steady between heartbeats and breathing is an acquired technique.

.:TRObsk:.

[Tinker]

If you're needing a tripod and feel like improvising, a 1/4 by 20 threaded bolt and a pair of vise grips work.  I've used this as an improvised tripod a couple of times:  basically thread the bolt into the tripod mount on the camera bottom, and clamp it to something supportive.  I used a ski pole once, which worked as a bit of a monopod.

A.

[Doctor Trakov]

I need to get me some of those goggles. Heh, I really like that pic...

[Vincent M. Dantes Esq.]

Alright my good Anachronist, since I fully support a more magical world, I'll take you up on your offer, even though I could do it all myself. I'm not liable to gain very much self satisfaction from acquiring the lens material myself, or from popping the lenses out of an existing pair to swap out, so I see no harm in helping you get rid of your surplus.

Here is my proposal: I make for you something you would like, and you send me some lenses, or perhaps some already fixed up IR goggles, whatever seems fair compensation for what you have in mind. I can make just about anything from wood, plastic, metal, leather, and have a good supply of these things lying around. For instance, perhaps you would like a hand carved pipe of your own design? I've been toying around with the idea of making a pipe with a wooden bowl and a brass stem, perhaps I could make two and send one of them to you. I can also make very nice wooden boxes, and could engrave some kind of pattern into it's surface. I could tool a design into a leather wallet. Or maybe a pendant, a hand carved wooden gear to hang from a brass chain...

Tell me, what would you like?

[Interstellar Machine]

Maybe you could use some ideas from this:

http://www.g4tv.com/attackoftheshow/features/52639/How_To_CVS_Night_Vision_Cam.html

[NazT]

WOW!  I hope I can get my hands on one of these!... 

[Demosthenes]

hmm. . . how about 3d infared?  Would that work?

[Jake of All Trades]

hmm. . . how about 3d infared?  Would that work?

I can't see what not!