Infrared Illuminators

[CampMaster]

This is prety cool!

Infrared Illuminators [Patent Pending] - Permits operators of vehicles to drive at normal operating speed when using night vision devices. Dramatically illuminates the area in front of the vehicles enabling those with night vision goggles to significantly see beyond the normal range. Five I/R LED's are mounted in each unit. Angle beam direction is optimized to give both near wide angle and narrow front viewing optimization. LED's are operating at 880 nano meters to match light spectrum of the night vision equipment use by vehicle operators.

http://www.ibistek.com/images/lightbargraphic.jpg
Ibistek (http://www.ibistek.com/irlights.php) <-linked source

[Aubs]

You know, I thought about building something like this with LED's from Radio Shack and mounting them together in little packs, and then mounting the packs alongside or inside the off-road or driving lights. Maybe also making a spotlight for use with night vision binoculars. Sounds like they're doing the same thing, but I think I could make it for much less. Just collect a bunch of old TV remotes and their IR LEDS. Or buy a box of the LED's and soder them on a board. I just never felt like doing it. Maybe because I don't understand circuit boards... http://www.elcova.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_cool.gif I'll have to try it now so you guys don't think I'm lying! http://www.elcova.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_razz.gif

[Aubs]

I did some research into this today, and I figured out the following:

1. I know nothing about circuit boards. I looked at them and was baffled instanteneously.

2. IR LED's at Radioshak apparently broadcast at 10nm. I'm not sure yet, but I also know that they were pricey. $2 a piece, and I doubt that these have the power of the ones above, though I fail to see how only 5 could illuminate well unless the 'units' are quite numerous.

So in order to complete this project I have to do a small scale test using nightvision equipment I don't have to see if the LED's will even make enough light to illuminate. If that works, I have to find a bulk package of them, perhaps in a stronger power output. But I can see this system operating on AA batteries, which would make it quite mobile and easy to use.

[PARAGON]

http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-...ed+illuminator+build (http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rls=HPIB,HPIB:2005-37,HPIB:en&q=infrared+illuminator+build)

[Aubs]

Hahahahaha! You know, that was my next step. But now I don't know if I want to tackle this. My feeble mind pales in comparison to the power of LED wiring diagrams...