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New imaging system allows us to see UV and visible light simultaneously
The bright green visible light of the numbers and lines at center entered the device as invisible ultraviolet rays. Photo courtesy of Jad Salman
When it comes to light, there’s a lot more than meets the human eye.
While people can see visible light in the wavelength range between 400 and 700 nanometers – that rainbow between violet and red – there’s a lot of information our eyes can’t detect in the slightly longer wavelengths of near infrared and shorter wavelengths of the ultraviolet range. Various systems to make UV light visible to the human eye have been on the market for years and used to inspect electrical insulation and in criminal forensics, astronomy and photography. But those typically require a power source and electronic components.
Imaging system allows us to see UV and visible light simultaneously For news media
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The bright green visible light of the numbers and lines at center entered the device as invisible ultraviolet rays. Photo courtesy of Jad Salman
When it comes to light, there’s a lot more than meets the human eye.
While people can see visible light in the wavelength range between 400 and 700 nanometers that rainbow between violet and red there’s a lot of information our eyes can’t detect in the slightly longer wavelengths of near infrared and shorter wavelengths of the ultraviolet range. Various systems to make UV light visible to the human eye have been on the market for years and used to inspect electrical insulation and in criminal forensics, astronomy and photography. But those typically require a power source and electronic components.
Qiaoqiang Gan, professor
Department of Electrical Engineering
Access to clean water is a huge issue across the globe. Even in areas with water resources, a lack of infrastructure or reliable energy means purifying that water is sometimes extremely difficult.
That’s why a water vapor condenser designed by engineers at UB and the University of Wisconsin-Madison could be revolutionary. Unlike other radiative vapor condensers that can only operate at night, the new design works in direct sunlight and requires no energy input.
“We have worked on solar-driven water evaporation technologies in the past years,” says Qiaoqiang Gan, UB professor of electrical engineering and a leading corresponding author. “We are now addressing the second half of the water cycle, condensation.”
April 6, 2021
COVID-19 UPDATES • 3/26/2021
Access to clean water is a huge issue across the globe. Even in areas with water resources, a lack of infrastructure or reliable energy means purifying that water is sometimes extremely difficult.
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That s why a water vapor condenser designed by engineers at UB and the University of Wisconsin-Madison could be revolutionary. Unlike other radiative vapor condensers that can only operate at night, the new design works in direct sunlight and requires no energy input. We have worked on solar-driven water evaporation technologies in the past years, says Qiaoqiang Gan, UB professor of electrical engineering and a leading corresponding author. We are now addressing the second half of the water cycle, condensation.
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New condenser makes water from air, even in hot sun
Access to clean water is a pressing issue for many people around the world. Even in areas with ample water resources, a lack of infrastructure or reliable energy means purifying that water is sometimes extremely difficult.
That’s why a water vapor condenser designed by University of Wisconsin-Madison engineers could be revolutionary. Unlike other radiative vapor condensers which can only operate at night, the new design works in direct sunlight and requires no energy input.
“Water sustainability is a global issue,” says Zongfu Yu, an associate professor of electrical and computer engineering at UW-Madison. “You can’t set out to solve the water problem without addressing energy.”