Researchers at the University of Michigan have developed a new type of incandescent light bulb capable of emitting elliptically polarized light, known as “twisted” light. This innovative design incorporates micro- and nanoscale twists into the tungsten filament structure, producing helical-shaped electric waves that mirror each other.
The twisted form of polarized light has potential applications in robotics, photonics, and imaging technologies. By mimicking the sophisticated vision of mantis shrimp, which can detect circular polarized light, this technology could enhance object detection and surface texture recognition for robots. Additionally, improved robotic vision systems could lead to better results for autonomous navigation, machine learning, and medical diagnostics.
The development marks a new purpose for incandescent bulbs, which were once considered obsolete in the era of LEDs. However, further work is needed before this technology can be widely adopted.
Source: https://newatlas.com/science/twisted-light-edison-bulb