Total Internal Reflection - Applications

Applications

  • Optical fibers, which are used in endoscopes and telecommunications.
  • Rain sensors to control automatic windscreen/windshield wipers.
  • Another interesting application of total internal reflection is the spatial filtering of light.
  • Prismatic binoculars use the principle of total internal reflections to get a very clear image
  • Some multi-touch screens use frustrated total internal reflection in combination with a camera and appropriate software to pick up multiple targets.
  • Gonioscopy to view the anatomical angle formed between the eye's cornea and iris.
  • Gait analysis instrument, CatWalk, uses frustrated total internal reflection in combination with a high speed camera to capture and analyze footprints of laboratory rodents.
  • Fingerprinting devices, which use frustrated total internal reflection in order to record an image of a person's fingerprint without the use of ink.
  • Flashlights lenses.

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