Near infrared

Near Infrared (NIR) is a region of the electromagnetic spectrum that lies just beyond the visible light range, with wavelengths ranging from approximately 700 nanometers (nm) to 2500 nm. This region is often divided into three bands: NIR (700-1500 nm), Short-Wavelength Infrared (SWIR, 1500-3000 nm), and Mid-Wavelength Infrared (MWIR, 3000-8000 nm).

Properties

Near infrared light is not visible to the human eye, but can be detected by specialized sensors and cameras. It has the ability to penetrate certain materials, such as skin and blood, making it useful in a variety of applications, including medical imaging and remote sensing.

Applications

Medical Imaging

In the field of medicine, near infrared is used in imaging technologies such as Near Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS). This non-invasive technique measures the oxygenation of tissue and is used in a variety of medical applications, including monitoring brain activity and diagnosing conditions such as Alzheimer's disease and cancer.

Remote Sensing

In remote sensing, near infrared light is used to detect vegetation and water content in the earth's surface. This is because vegetation reflects more near infrared light than other wavelengths, and water absorbs it. This makes near infrared useful in applications such as agriculture, forestry, and environmental monitoring.

Other Applications

Other applications of near infrared include night vision technologies, where it is used to illuminate scenes without visible light, and in telecommunications, where it is used in fiber optic cables to transmit data over long distances.

See Also

• Infrared
• Electromagnetic spectrum
• Medical imaging
• Remote sensing