Gecko vision 'may lead to futuristic cameras, contact lenses'

Scientists have claimed that the vision of nocturnal geckos, creatures who are able to see colours even at night, could someday open ways to futuristic cameras and contact lenses.

Scientists have claimed that the vision of nocturnal geckos, creatures who are able to see colours even at night, could someday open ways to futuristic cameras and contact lenses.

A new study by a Swedish team, has revealed that the key to the exceptional night vision of the nocturnal helmet gecko is a series of distinct concentric zones of different refractive powers.

This multifocal optical system is comprised of large cones, which the researchers calculated to be more than 350 times more sensitive than human cone vision at the human colour vision threshold. 'We were interested in the geckos because they and other lizards differ from most other vertebrates in having only cones in their retina.

'With the knowledge from the gecko eyes we might be able to develop more effective cameras and maybe even useful multifocal contact lenses,' Lina Roth of Lund University in Sweden, who led the study, said.