Importance and Role of Night Vision Goggles in Avoiding HEMS Accidents

View PDF | Print View by: Dont Fear The Dark Total views: 2 Word Count: 492

It may not be surprising to know that most of the HEMS accidents occur during night time, the main reason being lack of sufficient light. There are several objects that are not visible to the naked eye. This is when crew realised the necessity of equipment that could allow them to safely perform night operations by enhancing vision during night flight. Night vision goggles are the only tool that can drastically reduce these HEMS crashes.

In order to make use of this opportunity, several leading optical manufacturers have taken up manufacturing of night vision goggles including night vision glasses, day time scopes and thermal imaging. This equipment is capable of rectifying visual accuracy to near 20/20 depending on the light available.

How do these devices work? This is something we all would be eager to know. The entire concept of night vision goggles revolves round enhancing the available light. Light along with its electromagnetic spectrum is broken down in to three sub categories: infrared light, visible light and ultraviolet light. Both the extreme ends of light spectrum are violet and it contains maximum energy while red contains least energy. On the other hand infrared light is closest to the light spectrum.

Night vision technology either uses thermal imaging from infrared spectrum or light intensification. The technology used in this system is so advanced that it utilizes the least amount of available light and converts it in to electric energy.

Night vision goggles have an inbuilt tube know as the “image intensifier tube” that accumulates and intensifies both available visible and infrared light. This light passes through the image intensifier. The photocathode present within the image intensifier tube converts light energy to electric energy by making use of external electric energy.

During this entire process, a large number of electrons are released. When these electrons reach the end of the image intensifier tube, the electrons strike a screen that is coated with phosphorus. In this collision process, phosphors get activated and release high energy photons. Thus creating a green image visible through NVGs. This image can be viewed through the lens located on other side of image intensifier tube. This eye piece lens is provided with a dioptre adjustment which gives a clearer and crisp image.

Although this concept has gained popularity, it has its own set of limitations. The main drawback being these night vision goggles allow only 40 degree field of view. If you think that these goggles are highly beneficial, then you are thoroughly mistaken since these goggles allow you to view only 25 percent of your normal field of view (which is 180-degree). The other drawbacks associated with night vision goggles are that monochromatic image makes object identification quite difficult. The blue-green lights make operations at airports quite risky.

However it becomes mandatory for pilot and crew to gather all possible information about night vision goggles. This can make their journey safer and thus avoid HEMS accidents.

Article Source: StepsIT

About the Author

Night Flight Concepts is the author of this article on Night Vision Goggles. Find more information about Night Vision Goggle here.

Rating: Not yet rated

Comments

No comments posted.

Add Comment

You do not have permission to comment. If you log in, you may be able to comment.

Copy and Paste Article Code.

Remember: The article body, title, author bio and links may not be changed or removed. By publishing this article, you agree to all the terms in our Terms of Service.

It may not be surprising to know that most of the HEMS accidents occur during night time, the main reason being lack of sufficient light. There are several objects that are not visible to the naked eye. This is when crew realised the necessity of equipment that could allow them to safely perform night operations by enhancing vision during night flight. Night vision goggles are the only tool that can drastically reduce these HEMS crashes. In order to make use of this opportunity, several leading optical manufacturers have taken up manufacturing of night vision goggles including night vision glasses, day time scopes and thermal imaging. This equipment is capable of rectifying visual accuracy to near 20/20 depending on the light available. How do these devices work? This is something we all would be eager to know. The entire concept of night vision goggles revolves round enhancing the available light. Light along with its electromagnetic spectrum is broken down in to three sub categories: infrared light, visible light and ultraviolet light. Both the extreme ends of light spectrum are violet and it contains maximum energy while red contains least energy. On the other hand infrared light is closest to the light spectrum. Night vision technology either uses thermal imaging from infrared spectrum or light intensification. The technology used in this system is so advanced that it utilizes the least amount of available light and converts it in to electric energy. Night vision goggles have an inbuilt tube know as the “image intensifier tube” that accumulates and intensifies both available visible and infrared light. This light passes through the image intensifier. The photocathode present within the image intensifier tube converts light energy to electric energy by making use of external electric energy. During this entire process, a large number of electrons are released. When these electrons reach the end of the image intensifier tube, the electrons strike a screen that is coated with phosphorus. In this collision process, phosphors get activated and release high energy photons. Thus creating a green image visible through NVGs. This image can be viewed through the lens located on other side of image intensifier tube. This eye piece lens is provided with a dioptre adjustment which gives a clearer and crisp image. Although this concept has gained popularity, it has its own set of limitations. The main drawback being these night vision goggles allow only 40 degree field of view. If you think that these goggles are highly beneficial, then you are thoroughly mistaken since these goggles allow you to view only 25 percent of your normal field of view (which is 180-degree). The other drawbacks associated with night vision goggles are that monochromatic image makes object identification quite difficult. The blue-green lights make operations at airports quite risky. However it becomes mandatory for pilot and crew to gather all possible information about night vision goggles. This can make their journey safer and thus avoid HEMS accidents. Article Source: <a href="http://www.allbestarticles.com" target="_blank">StepsIT</a> About the Author: Night Flight Concepts is the author of this article on <a href="http://nightflightconcepts.com/">Night Vision Goggles</a>.
 Find more information about <a href="http://nightflightconcepts.com/">Night Vision Goggle</a> here.

StepsIT

Pages

Sponsors

Importance and Role of Night Vision Goggles in Avoiding HEMS Accidents

About the Author

Comments

Add Comment

Copy and Paste Article Code.

More articles in this Category

Main Menu

Categories

Search

Links