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I love reading about rattlesnake and pit viper vision. Get this, these snakes use their infrared-sending loreal pits on the sides of their face along with their eyes, sending stereoscopic images to their brain, which creates a single 3D image from all 4 signals for them! So, infrared, which we sense non-visually as heat, is visual to them, though sensed via different organs than their eyes. They can sense differences as small as 2/100 of a degree Fahrenheit.
Also, it's interesting to note that during WWII the US Navy experimented on sailors by giving them different kinds of vitamin A, a major contributor to photopigment manufacture, to enable them to see infrared signals that the enemy couldn't see. Apparently, it worked! They scraped it once they figured out how to make infrared sensitive devices like the snooperscope and night vision goggles...
Also, it's interesting to note that during WWII the US Navy experimented on sailors by giving them different kinds of vitamin A, a major contributor to photopigment manufacture, to enable them to see infrared signals that the enemy couldn't see. Apparently, it worked! They scraped it once they figured out how to make infrared sensitive devices like the snooperscope and night vision goggles...
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Re: Infrared Vision
Sun, August 7, 2005 - 7:01 PMThe source...
from Sekuler, R., and Blake, R. (1994). Perception (3rd ed.). Springfield, Ill.: Thomas. pp. 62-63:
"The following story dramatizes how photopigments determine what one can see. During World War II, the United States Navy wanted its sailors to be able to see infrared signal lights that would be invisible to the enemy. Normally, it is impossible to see infrared radiation because, as pointed out earlier, the wavelengths are too long for human photopigments. In order for humans to see infrared, the spectral sensitivity of some human photopigment would have to be changed. Vision scientists knew that retinal, the derivative of vitamin A, was part of every photopigment molecule and that various forms of vitamin A existed. If the retina could be encouraged to use some alternative form of vitamin A in its manufacture of photopigments, the spectral sensitivity of those photopigments would be abnormal, perhaps extending into infrared radiation. Human volunteers were fed diets rich in an alternative form of vitamin A but deficient in the usual form. Over several months, the volunteers' vision changed, giving them greater sensitivity to light of longer wavelengths. Though the experiment seemed to be working, it was aborted. The development of the "snooperscope," an electronic device for seeing infrared radiation, made continuation of the experiment unnecessary (Rubin and Walls, 1969). Still, the experiment demonstrates that photopigments select what one can see; changing those photopigments would change one's vision." -
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Unsu...
Re: Infrared Vision
Wed, November 30, 2005 - 2:14 PMThere are human beings capable of perceiving Infra-red and Ultra-violet wavelengths. Those human beings who are deviod of or have non-functioning cones, or color-receptors can perceive wavelengths beyond normal vision. The Rods, in the absense of functioning cones, will pick them up. I know this intimately as I am one of those human beings. I have a condition known as Achromatopsia - a complete lack of cones in the retina of my eyes. I see no color. never have. But I do see UV and IR.
I thought I would share with you what it looks like to me.
My world is like a semi-gloss photo. Things that are warm stand out as glossier than the background. Things that are colder appear more grainy or matte finish. These are not perfect comparisons, but they are the closet I can come up with to explain how I see. I see varying degrees of light and dark and also varying degrees of cold and hot. I can see a person among trees at night as a shiny outline. I can see electrical lines in walls as very slightly shiny line which is very faint in the light and much easier to see in the dark.
I see cold less easily. I have to have a comparison to guage it by. In complete darkness, like when I go spelunking, I can stand still and form a rough image in my mind of the world around me, seeing cave walls, versus openings with a fair degree of success, especially close to me as I can see my heat reflected from objects. So, I can find my way slowly in the dark. It does get easier the longer I am without light of course.
UV is a cloud of particles. It is mostly annoying as I can't see as well in flouescent light and Blacklights nearly blind me. I can however see glow in the dark materials as such even with the lights on.
Downside - Sunlight is painful. Bright lights, as well. I find direct bright light almost physically painful, and am slow to recover from a bright light at night.
I thought this might prove interesting to some of you. A friend let me know about this tribe and thread post, so I thought I would oblige him of a post. Thank you for your time and hope you enjoyed reading this. -
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Re: Infrared Vision
Wed, November 30, 2005 - 2:57 PMthanks so much kevin for sharing your experience. you have a very unique visual perspective that really proves how much our perception interacts with the external world to form our realities.
i'm curious about your rods' compensation here... i find it intriguing that they compensate in both directions, UV and IR. do you know anything about how the rods physically end up compensating for the lack of cones? what's the developmental process for this?
i'm also curious if it's possible to invent a viewing device for you, where wavelengths between red and violet are translated into UV or IR for you to view. i'm not knowledgeable enough to understand the complications of such a device; are you aware of any attempts in that direction?
thanks again for contributing your story here!
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Re: Infrared Vision
Fri, December 2, 2005 - 9:53 PMGood to meet you, Kevin, and thanks for joining us!
I only know about achromatopsia from Oliver Sach's book. From what I recall, stargazing would also be a very different experience for you.
Welcome! And again, thanks for giving us a glimpse of your world! Very cool! (Especially for a color-and-vision geek like myself.)
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