Invisible Ink that you can see through an IR lens

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around the feasibility of using invisible ink that can be viewed through an infrared (IR) lens. Participants explore various types of invisible inks, the limitations of human vision regarding IR light, and the potential need for additional technology to visualize IR wavelengths.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant is developing an eyepiece to see hidden messages using invisible ink visible through an IR lens.
  • Some participants reference general information on invisible inks and specific studies related to IR inks.
  • There is a question raised about the necessity of using a lens instead of viewing directly, with one participant asserting that the lens does not matter since the human eye cannot see IR light.
  • Another participant mentions a specific brand of fountain pen ink that may be suitable for the project.
  • Concerns are expressed about the limitations of using a red lens, which absorbs certain wavelengths and may not allow for the visibility of blue light unless altered in some way.
  • Participants discuss the variability in human ability to perceive near IR light, with one noting that some individuals, particularly children, may have enhanced sensitivity to these wavelengths.
  • There is a suggestion that an IR sensor and display device would be necessary to visualize IR light, as a simple lens would not suffice.
  • One participant introduces a concept involving nanoparticles that could convert IR light into visible light, though this approach may result in dim images.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the visibility of IR light and the effectiveness of using lenses for this purpose. There is no consensus on the best approach to achieve the desired outcome, and multiple competing ideas are presented.

Contextual Notes

Some claims depend on specific definitions of visibility and the capabilities of human vision, which may vary among individuals. The discussion includes unresolved technical aspects regarding the interaction of light with different materials and the effectiveness of various inks.

Aidentheawesome23
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TL;DR
I need ink that reacts through an IR lens
I’m making an eyepiece that can see hidden messages, and I need to know an ink that you’ll be able to see through the IR lens.
 
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Why a lens instead of looking at it directly?
 
Your eye can’t see IR. Fools gambit. Lens doesn’t matter.
 
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Steganography rules!
 
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I'm making a prototype of this, also what if there's light shining through the lens
TH2_Eye_HD.png
images.jpg
 
there's a fountain pen ink made Noodler's. I forget the name of it, but just type in Noodlers Invinsible Fountain Pen Ink.
 
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Aidentheawesome23 said:
I'm making a prototype of this, also what if there's light shining through the lensView attachment 276950View attachment 276951
Is this from a game? Physically, the images already show a huge error in the concept.

The lens is red, which means the lens absorbs (or cut out) blue and green light, and only let's red light go through. So there is no chance that you can see a blue light (the second image) through the lens, unless they are upconverted (highly unlikely) or digitally modified.

You can't see IR light no matter what kind of lens you use. You need some sort of device that can detect IR light and digitally convert it into an image.
 
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  • #10
HAYAO said:
You can't see IR light no matter what kind of lens you use.
Correction: Most people can't.

Generally, humans can see wavelengths down to about 750nm.

My son can reliably see the light from a TV remote - about 940nm - well into the near IR.
Yep. My son has a superpower. :smile:

So, the solution for the OP is ensure he is young of age.
 
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  • #11
DaveC426913 said:
Correction: Most people can't.

Generally, humans can see wavelengths down to about 750nm.

My son can reliably see the light from a TV remote - about 940nm - well into the near IR.
Yep. My son has a superpower. :smile:

So, the solution for the OP is ensure he is young of age.
I always thought that was due to the LED producing a distribution of frequencies?
 
  • #12
chemisttree said:
I always thought that was due to the LED producing a distribution of frequencies?
Perhaps, but that distribution is certainly entirely below my ability to detect.
 
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  • #13
Unless you have Dave's son's ability to see lower frequencies than the average person, you WILL need an IR sensor and a display device. A simple lens (or filter rather) won't do anything because it doesn't convert IR frequencies into visible light. You might as well use a trash bag as a filter otherwise (this type of plastic is transparent in part of the IR spectrum, but not the visible).
 
  • #14
While it's not a direct answer to your question you might find this research interesting. By injecting special nanoparticles into the eye of rats it converted the IR light into visible blue light. If you wanted to incorporate this into an eyepiece then something like a pin hole camera with the nanoparticles embedded into the screen would work but the image could be quite dim. As for the ink, there are many pigments which are more interesting in IR than visible that's not too rare.
 

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