Tiny infrared chip could improve detection of gases and heat
The tunable device controls mid-infrared light for more precise thermal imaging, chemical sensing, or pollution monitoring. Credits: Credit: iStock Previous image Next image Infrared cameras can be used to spot useful information that our eyes can’t see, such as gases escaping from a pipeline, chemicals in the atmosphere, or heat leaking from a building. But sensing infrared light in sophisticated ways still requires expensive and bulky systems.Now MIT researchers have created a chip-based optical device that can dynamically control incoming infrared light, to act as a tunable lens that gathers additional information for infrared cameras.
- ▪The tunable device controls mid-infrared light for more precise thermal imaging, chemical sensing, or pollution monitoring.
- ▪Credits: Credit: iStock Previous image Next image Infrared cameras can be used to spot useful information that our eyes can’t see, such as gases escaping from a pipeline, chemicals in the atmosphere, or heat leaking from a building.
- ▪But sensing infrared light in sophisticated ways still requires expensive and bulky systems.Now MIT researchers have created a chip-based optical device that can dynamically control incoming infrared light, to act as a tunable lens that gat
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| Original publisher | MIT News |
| Canonical URL | https://news.mit.edu/2026/tiny-infrared-chip-could-improve-gas-and-heat-detection-0713 |
| Publication time | Mon, 13 Jul 2026 00:00:00 -0400 |
| Retrieval time | 2026-07-13T04:05:36.683Z |
| Last seen | 2026-07-13T04:05:36.683Z |
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The tunable device controls mid-infrared light for more precise thermal imaging, chemical sensing, or pollution monitoring. Zach Winn | MIT News Publication Date: July 13, 2026 Press Inquiries Press Contact: Abby Abazorius Email: [email protected] Phone: 617-253-2709 MIT News Office Close Caption: MIT researchers have created a chip-based optical device that can dynamically control incoming infrared light for more precise thermal imaging, chemical sensing, or pollution monitoring. Credits: Credit: iStock Previous image Next image Infrared cameras can be used to spot useful information that our eyes can’t see, such as gases escaping from a pipeline, chemicals in the atmosphere, or heat leaking from a building.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at MIT News.