Night Vision Devices
Night vision devices are capable of detecting infrared light that is invisible to the naked eye. Then, through an en- hancement process, the infrared light is converted to visible light. This technology allows you the ability to see beyond the normal boundaries of visible light. This process is sepa- rated into two delivery methods, active and passive. Active infrared requires an external ‘light’ projection unit to function. Passive infrared devices make use of the infra- red light found in small amounts of ambient light. Night vision amplifies ambient light by millions of times so you can positively ‘identify’ a target.
Thermal imaging devices are light, portable, and easy to use with just the minimal of training. Thermal imaging devices cost more than night vision devices but that price gap is closing. Photo courtesy of FLIR.
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The pros are that night vision starting prices are compa- rable to a set of standard binoculars. It’s great for multi- faceted night operations, in which you might need to see something other than just people. Night vision allows for greater details that may be required to engage a threat. The cons are that night vision does not allow for quick ‘target’ detection and the operator can be temporally blinded by bright flashes of light. Another common problem with pas- sive night vision devices is that they don’t work well on moonless or cloudy nights.
nder low-light conditions, other than a white light flashlight, what are the options to increase your visual acuity? There are two popular technolo- gies that achieve awesome results: thermal imaging and night vision. Each of these advanced technologies has pros and cons. By learning about each one and deploying a blended approach, we can increase our situational awareness, survivability, and operational capabilities.
Thermal Imaging Devices
Thermal imaging is essentially a technology that allows users to see the heat given radiating from an object. This allows you to see a target by detecting their heat signature. A thermal imager can see minute differences in heat and portray this as an image on a screen, allowing for quick and easy ‘detection’ in zero light conditions.
The pros are that thermal imaging does not require any light to perform its function. Thermal imagers can, to some degree, see through smoke and debris. Thermal imagers are light, portable, and easy to use even by novice opera- tors. The cons are that positively identifying a target by fa- cial recognition and seeing fine detail suffers with thermal imaging. Thermal signatures will not pass through glass. Thermal imaging generally costs more than night vision, but the price difference is closing.
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With thermal imaging devices, there is no such thing as camouflaged clothing hiding the suspect. Thermal imagers detect heat, and do not need any light whatsoever to find the suspect location. Photo courtesy of FLIR.
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