| From: | Quindrael d.n.m.vannederveen@****.warande.ruu.nl |
|---|---|
| Subject: | Thermographic Vision (also some Lowlight remarks) |
| Date: | Tue, 18 May 1999 13:05:56 +0200 |
>transparent overlay of the thermograph color bands.
The way I understand it, is that cybernetic thermographic vision has to be
switched "on" and in that case you switch natural vision "off". On the
other hand, why wouldn't they also make a "both" mode? This can have its
advantages, you would have the same view as someone with natural vision.
Because _natural_ thermographic is always on (seems logical), together with
normal vision. Humans just cannot have an idea how this is, but it exists
with some animals (I once read about some butterflies, but I guess many
more - just like animals that see into the UV spectrum). You just have a
larger spectrum of colors which are detected by the eye at all moments you
are using it.
I think Cybertechnology explains that you see normal colors, but "hot"
sources are brighter than "cold". I think that it even would be better to
say that you probably see completely different colors! Remember, even if
you see something that is green, it might just be because your eye is
receiving blue and yellow light but combining it to green (a cousin of mine
misses one of the three kinds of color-receptors and therefore sometimes
sees different colors than other people).
However, there's a difference between most IR and other light: except for
very hot sources like the sun or lightbulbs (which are created for this
specific purpose :-), all the light you see is _reflected_ light. However,
the IR spectrum is mostly _radiated_ light by the source you are looking at
(although it also can reflect IR light, most surfaces absorb IR light).
Another note: I think I recall that a large part of the IR spectrum is
absorbed by glass. That means that you won't be able to see through glass
with thermographic vision only!!!
With lowlight vision, it is really different. Even the natural variant is
another "mode" than "daytime" vision. Don't remember the names, but
you
have two diferent light-detection cells in your eye (I think they are
called cones and staves/staffs - at least that's the translation from what
they're called in Dutch). One kind is used by day, one by night (this one
also cannot discern colors!). Someone with nightvision just has many many
more of the night-version than someone without.
This gives me a cool idea: you can give someone nightvision through
bioware! Just manipulate the eye so it gets more cones/staves (whichever
one is needed).
VrGr David
This is not a signature, every mail I type it again.
