Biology-based enhanced vision using light amplification and adaptable to thin films
AssigneeArizona Board of Regents of behalf of Arizona State University
InventorJeffrey LaBelle
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods and apparatus relating to light amplification technology that has the ability to transform and amplify light to be seen in the visible spectrum by the user (FIG. 2). The biologically-based light amplification system including a reaction center, a proton gradient area, and a light amplification area, and may be configured such that light entering the system through the reaction center produces a proton gradient, which in turn acts upon reactants in the proton gradient area, and then causes a product to enter the light amplification area and thereby drive a bioluminescent or phosphorescent reaction to amplify the light The methods and apparatus use solely biological processes without any external power supply.
Claims15
A vision enhancement device comprising a biologically-based light amplification system including a reaction center, a proton gradient area comprising reactants Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide (NAD+) and flavin mononucleotide, and a light amplification area, wherein said reaction center comprises photosynthetic bacterial components capable of producing a proton gradient from light, said device configured such that light entering the system through the reaction center produces said proton gradient, which in turn acts upon reactants in said proton gradient area, and causes to produce a product, flavin mononucleotide (FMNH2) to enter the light amplification area and thereby drive a bioluminescence or phosphorescent reaction to amplify said light, wherein said reaction center is coupled to said proton gradient area, said proton gradient area contains reactants acted on by said proton gradient, and said proton gradient area is coupled to said light amplification area.
A method for enhancing vision in low light or night conditions, comprising the step of amplifying light using a biologically-based light amplification system including a reaction center, a proton gradient area comprising reactants Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide (NAD+) and flavin mononucleotide, and a light amplification area, said system configured such that light entering the system through the reaction center produces a proton gradient, which in turn acts upon reactants in said proton gradient area, and causes to produce a product, flavin mononucleotide (FMNh2) to enter the light amplification area and thereby drive a bioluminescence or phosphorescent reaction to amplify said light, wherein said reaction center is coupled to said proton gradient area, said proton gradient area contains reactants acted on by said proton gradient, and said proton gradient area is coupled to said light amplification area.
An IR light vision enhancement device comprising a biologically-based light amplification system including a reaction center, a proton gradient area comprising reactants Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide (NAD+) and flavin mononucleotide, and a light amplification area, wherein said reaction center comprises photosynthetic bacterial components capable of producing a proton gradient from light, said device configured such that light entering the system through the reaction center produces said proton gradient, which in turn acts upon reactants in said proton gradient area, and causes to produce a product, flavin mononucleotide (FMNH2) to enter the light amplification area and thereby drive a bioluminescence reaction to amplify said light;
- wherein said reaction center is coupled to said proton gradient area, said proton gradient area contains reactants acted on by said proton gradient, and said proton gradient area is coupled to said light amplification area.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.