Near-infrared spatiotemporal color vision in humans enabled by upconversion contact lenses

Yuqian Ma; Yunuo Chen; Sheng Wang; Zi Han Chen; Yuanwei Zhang; Ling Huang; Xinxin Zhang; Fei Yin; Yunxuan Wang; Mingzhu Yang; Zhanjun Li; Kai Huang; Xin Fang; Zishuo Li; Minghong Wang; Wenhui Liu; Jia Nan Li; Longfei Li; Hang Zhao; Min Wei; Yiming Shi; Rong Liu; Mei Zhang; Jutao Chen; Jiawei Shen; Jianjun Meng; Yupeng Yang; Fan Zhang; Xinglong Gong; Gang Han; Tian Xue

doi:10.1016/j.cell.2025.04.019

Near-infrared spatiotemporal color vision in humans enabled by upconversion contact lenses

Yuqian Ma, Yunuo Chen, Sheng Wang, Zi Han Chen, Yuanwei Zhang, Ling Huang, Xinxin Zhang, Fei Yin, Yunxuan Wang, Mingzhu Yang, Zhanjun Li, Kai Huang, Xin Fang, Zishuo Li, Minghong Wang, Wenhui Liu, Jia Nan Li, Longfei Li, Hang Zhao, Min WeiYiming Shi, Rong Liu, Mei Zhang, Jutao Chen, Jiawei Shen, Jianjun Meng, Yupeng Yang, Fan Zhang, Xinglong Gong, Gang Han, Tian Xue

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

6 Scopus citations

Abstract

Humans cannot perceive infrared light due to the physical thermodynamic properties of photon-detecting opsins. However, the capability to detect invisible multispectral infrared light with the naked eye is highly desirable. Here, we report wearable near-infrared (NIR) upconversion contact lenses (UCLs) with suitable optical properties, hydrophilicity, flexibility, and biocompatibility. Mice with UCLs could recognize NIR temporal and spatial information and make behavioral decisions. Furthermore, human participants wearing UCLs could discriminate NIR information, including temporal coding and spatial images. Notably, we have developed trichromatic UCLs (tUCLs), allowing humans to distinguish multiple spectra of NIR light, which can function as three primary colors, thereby achieving human NIR spatiotemporal color vision. Our research opens up the potential of wearable polymeric materials for non-invasive NIR vision, assisting humans in perceiving and transmitting temporal, spatial, and color dimensions of NIR light.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	3375-3388.e18
Journal	Cell
Volume	188
Issue number	13
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2025.04.019
State	Published - Jun 26 2025
Externally published	Yes

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

Keywords

color vision
contact lenses
nanocomposites
near-infrared light
spectrum
upconversion nanoparticle
visual behavior

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10.1016/j.cell.2025.04.019

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Ma, Y., Chen, Y., Wang, S., Chen, Z. H., Zhang, Y., Huang, L., Zhang, X., Yin, F., Wang, Y., Yang, M., Li, Z., Huang, K., Fang, X., Li, Z., Wang, M., Liu, W., Li, J. N., Li, L., Zhao, H., ... Xue, T. (2025). Near-infrared spatiotemporal color vision in humans enabled by upconversion contact lenses. Cell, 188(13), 3375-3388.e18. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2025.04.019

@article{2a3409c5d0d340f582f9cf7127205455,

title = "Near-infrared spatiotemporal color vision in humans enabled by upconversion contact lenses",

abstract = "Humans cannot perceive infrared light due to the physical thermodynamic properties of photon-detecting opsins. However, the capability to detect invisible multispectral infrared light with the naked eye is highly desirable. Here, we report wearable near-infrared (NIR) upconversion contact lenses (UCLs) with suitable optical properties, hydrophilicity, flexibility, and biocompatibility. Mice with UCLs could recognize NIR temporal and spatial information and make behavioral decisions. Furthermore, human participants wearing UCLs could discriminate NIR information, including temporal coding and spatial images. Notably, we have developed trichromatic UCLs (tUCLs), allowing humans to distinguish multiple spectra of NIR light, which can function as three primary colors, thereby achieving human NIR spatiotemporal color vision. Our research opens up the potential of wearable polymeric materials for non-invasive NIR vision, assisting humans in perceiving and transmitting temporal, spatial, and color dimensions of NIR light.",

keywords = "color vision, contact lenses, nanocomposites, near-infrared light, spectrum, upconversion nanoparticle, visual behavior",

author = "Yuqian Ma and Yunuo Chen and Sheng Wang and Chen, \{Zi Han\} and Yuanwei Zhang and Ling Huang and Xinxin Zhang and Fei Yin and Yunxuan Wang and Mingzhu Yang and Zhanjun Li and Kai Huang and Xin Fang and Zishuo Li and Minghong Wang and Wenhui Liu and Li, \{Jia Nan\} and Longfei Li and Hang Zhao and Min Wei and Yiming Shi and Rong Liu and Mei Zhang and Jutao Chen and Jiawei Shen and Jianjun Meng and Yupeng Yang and Fan Zhang and Xinglong Gong and Gang Han and Tian Xue",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2025 Elsevier Inc.",

year = "2025",

month = jun,

day = "26",

doi = "10.1016/j.cell.2025.04.019",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "188",

pages = "3375--3388.e18",

journal = "Cell",

issn = "0092-8674",

publisher = "Elsevier B.V.",

number = "13",

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Ma, Y, Chen, Y, Wang, S, Chen, ZH, Zhang, Y, Huang, L, Zhang, X, Yin, F, Wang, Y, Yang, M, Li, Z, Huang, K, Fang, X, Li, Z, Wang, M, Liu, W, Li, JN, Li, L, Zhao, H, Wei, M, Shi, Y, Liu, R, Zhang, M, Chen, J, Shen, J, Meng, J, Yang, Y, Zhang, F, Gong, X, Han, G & Xue, T 2025, 'Near-infrared spatiotemporal color vision in humans enabled by upconversion contact lenses', Cell, vol. 188, no. 13, pp. 3375-3388.e18. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2025.04.019

TY - JOUR

T1 - Near-infrared spatiotemporal color vision in humans enabled by upconversion contact lenses

AU - Ma, Yuqian

AU - Chen, Yunuo

AU - Wang, Sheng

AU - Chen, Zi Han

AU - Zhang, Yuanwei

AU - Huang, Ling

AU - Zhang, Xinxin

AU - Yin, Fei

AU - Wang, Yunxuan

AU - Yang, Mingzhu

AU - Li, Zhanjun

AU - Huang, Kai

AU - Fang, Xin

AU - Li, Zishuo

AU - Wang, Minghong

AU - Liu, Wenhui

AU - Li, Jia Nan

AU - Li, Longfei

AU - Zhao, Hang

AU - Wei, Min

AU - Shi, Yiming

AU - Liu, Rong

AU - Zhang, Mei

AU - Chen, Jutao

AU - Shen, Jiawei

AU - Meng, Jianjun

AU - Yang, Yupeng

AU - Zhang, Fan

AU - Gong, Xinglong

AU - Han, Gang

AU - Xue, Tian

PY - 2025/6/26

Y1 - 2025/6/26

N2 - Humans cannot perceive infrared light due to the physical thermodynamic properties of photon-detecting opsins. However, the capability to detect invisible multispectral infrared light with the naked eye is highly desirable. Here, we report wearable near-infrared (NIR) upconversion contact lenses (UCLs) with suitable optical properties, hydrophilicity, flexibility, and biocompatibility. Mice with UCLs could recognize NIR temporal and spatial information and make behavioral decisions. Furthermore, human participants wearing UCLs could discriminate NIR information, including temporal coding and spatial images. Notably, we have developed trichromatic UCLs (tUCLs), allowing humans to distinguish multiple spectra of NIR light, which can function as three primary colors, thereby achieving human NIR spatiotemporal color vision. Our research opens up the potential of wearable polymeric materials for non-invasive NIR vision, assisting humans in perceiving and transmitting temporal, spatial, and color dimensions of NIR light.

AB - Humans cannot perceive infrared light due to the physical thermodynamic properties of photon-detecting opsins. However, the capability to detect invisible multispectral infrared light with the naked eye is highly desirable. Here, we report wearable near-infrared (NIR) upconversion contact lenses (UCLs) with suitable optical properties, hydrophilicity, flexibility, and biocompatibility. Mice with UCLs could recognize NIR temporal and spatial information and make behavioral decisions. Furthermore, human participants wearing UCLs could discriminate NIR information, including temporal coding and spatial images. Notably, we have developed trichromatic UCLs (tUCLs), allowing humans to distinguish multiple spectra of NIR light, which can function as three primary colors, thereby achieving human NIR spatiotemporal color vision. Our research opens up the potential of wearable polymeric materials for non-invasive NIR vision, assisting humans in perceiving and transmitting temporal, spatial, and color dimensions of NIR light.

KW - color vision

KW - contact lenses

KW - nanocomposites

KW - near-infrared light

KW - spectrum

KW - upconversion nanoparticle

KW - visual behavior

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105005938084

UR - https://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=105005938084&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.cell.2025.04.019

DO - 10.1016/j.cell.2025.04.019

M3 - Article

C2 - 40409271

AN - SCOPUS:105005938084

SN - 0092-8674

VL - 188

SP - 3375-3388.e18

JO - Cell

JF - Cell

IS - 13

ER -

Near-infrared spatiotemporal color vision in humans enabled by upconversion contact lenses

Abstract

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Keywords

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