OLED Film Could Provide Cheap Night Vision For Cars

thecarchik writes "Night vision systems are already available in the higher-end luxury sedans from companies like Toyota, Volvo, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz. It's expensive technology that few drivers can afford, and at $4,000 for the system without a display, it's a pricey upgrade. That may all change soon, as DARPA-funded scientists have developed a cheap way to turn any infrared light into visible light with a thin film."

Re:Toyota

[TrisexualPuppy]

Indeed. I looked into purchasing a FLIR camera for my Corvette since deer are a huge problem around here. The funny thing is that it is hard to even find an aftermarket one now, and the few out there were about $8k for 320x240 resolution last time I checked. But will this tech be any cheaper than FLIR? Just throwing out the OLED buzzword doesn't mean much.

And any links to more substantial coverage on this project? The article is just a blurb.

Not only Night Vision

[your_neighbor]

If the OLED is already there, you can use it to display all kind of virtual stuff:
GPS
Ads
Traffic Info
Hookers
Create beautyfull landscapes in polluted areas

Re:Liking it, but...

[bugs2squash]

No - instead some idiot will think that it's fine to put ultrabright IR lights spraying light all over the road, because no-one can see it, right ! This system will be ruined by its own widespread adoption.

Re:Toyota

[Amouth]

based on the exceptionally short article - and a random guess ..

i wonder if this isn't done by energizing the OLED array so that when IR hits them they energies (taking from their vacuum tube comment i see this acting like the phosphorus layer on a CRT)

if that is the case.. this is nothing more than a way of receiving IR on one side of the film and illuminating on the other - so more of an IR screen instead of an object detection and alert system

if that is true this would be useful and far cheaper - but given the expectational short story.. i doubt any of us will remember it when the tech hits the market.

also would mean you could blind passing drivers with an IR transmitter.. something only drivers with this screen would see/notice..

Re:Night Vision Systems for Seeing in Darkness

[iamhassi]

"sometimes I will read them over again just to make sure there are no mistakes."

And sometimes I try to get my facts straight, like that Toyota [google.com] and Volvo [google.com] does not offer Night Vision at all (only on concepts), and Mercedes and BMW just started offering it in 2006, but Cadillac offered Night Vision 10 years ago on the 2000 DTS [theautochannel.com] :
"on the DTS, and options include a better-than-average navigation system and the "Night Vision" system, which features the first civilian use of infrared thermal-imaging technology to allow the driver to better see pedestrians and animals along the road at night.... A DTS with Night Vision has been my transportation for the past week. It has been an interesting week, with more night driving than usual.... Night Vision really does work."

If the author can't bother to get their facts straight I can't be bothered to read their article. Author completely left out the Cadillac which is plain wrong considering they were one of the first to offer it and it showed up in many popular reviews. Instead, they gave all the credit to German and Asian manufactures for introducing systems either many years later or offering concept cars with night vision