Stress Detection Glasses, History and Additional Information

 

Robert J. Brock, Ph.D.

Draft Date: 1.1.2005 

In the beginning, Dr. Len Haslim (NASA Ames Research Center senior scientist) was interested in being able to identify camouflaged objects in forests, grass or jungle environments using optical filters rather than infrared photography (which was developed in WWII for just that). The funding came from some black sources for the secret military/spy applications and from NASA when it had non-military applications like vegetation stress detection. The interesting thing was that in trying to make the green vegetation change color and leave the camouflaged object clearly visible (it did that), Dr. Haslim noticed that in reality the filter/lens made the healthy vegetation change color (to gray or black), the un-healthy parts of the vegetation became VERY visible. This was due to a number of factors, mainly special filters and because the human eye is hyper-sensitive to greens.

For the observer attempting to identify early plant disease and stress, this physiological fact means that the slight shifts in greens to the reds, browns and yellows which often signifies disease and stress are difficult or impossible to see with the naked eye. Forests, fields, crops, farms, wetlands, yards and gardens around the world are negative­ly impacted because the human eye cannot detect an unhealthy plant's early warning signs.  

The Stress Detection glasses work with the human eye (perhaps the most marvelous instrument of all as the primary sensor) the filter/ glasses are: 1) inexpensive, 2) require no lab time or processing, 3) operate in real time, 4) work on everything seen, and 5) are easy to use. Additionally, the glasses protect the wearer from harmful ultraviolet (A, B and C) radiation (a cause of cataracts and glaucoma), function as safety glasses thereby protecting the eyes from objects

  

 

The stress glasses are a very interesting pair of glasses; however, the bottom line for many people , is WHY SHOULD I USE A PAIR? Here are a few reasons: 

The glasses:

 ·       lets you see your plants cry out for help!  Saying things like, I need water, or I need more minerals, or I need you to trim off some of my parts that are sick (before it spreads and kills me). Plus.... don’t buy me and take me home to infect your other plants.    

·           allows the user to better use expensive water resources, chemical or natural fertilizers. Save time and money plus you get a better crop.... lawn.... golf course..... fruit trees.....tomatoes......berries..... trees....etc.  The glasses help you do precision agriculture on a mini-scale. 

    ·           allows the user to see invisible damage before buying plants..... Dr. Blazquez, an expert plant pathologist from the University of Florida tells me that almost half of the ornamental nursery plants shipped from Florida are either damaged, sick or dying and the people don’t even know it. They buy the plant and it often dies because of physical stress earlier in it’s life. It looks healthy, but it really is on its way to the big garden in the sky.

·       allows the user to prune the plant in a way that will allow the energy of the plant to go into healthy branches or parts, and not waste resources in parts that need to be cut away. 

·       allows the user to see insects and insect damage before it becomes a real problem. Many insects have developed wonderful camouflage to blend in with vegetation. These glasses help the user see the problems before the become visible.

·       Have you been to a supermarket lately? When you look at a bag of carrots or potatoes, you are seeing the effects of optical filters. The orange pattern on the carrot bag and the brown pattern on the potato bag tends hides the imperfections of the product. It is the same principle behind (no pun intended) colored hosiery for women.  The similar color and pattern of the produce bag or the  texture and color of the hosiery, provides the eye with a visual reference which makes the product (or legs) appears more perfect.

·       pick up colors and differentiate between colors that are invisible to the unaided eye.... that’s why you can see the veins in your arm with the glasses that are not viable without them. There are probably a whole lot of medical and industrial applications that we have not tried or even thought  of yet, but, if the glasses get into general use all kind of things will become visible.

    A few observations: Healthy green vegetation looks black or dark gray, while new growth will appear wine colored (Bordeaux)- as will any pail green. White leaves (leaf miner trails) appear to be brilliant blue- white. Yellows (mineral deficient leaves, etc.) appear to be coral colored. Brown (burned leaf edges to any number of problems) appear deep red. Of course, your interpretation of the colors you see may differ slightly. The important thing is to use the glasses on your plants to help you see what is going on and then look at them with you just your eyes to get the maximum information.  The glasses are a useful scientific tool to exaggerate your color perceptions. The following observations were reported by a golf course superintendent (an expert on turf) using NASA lenses: 

General:  Different viewing times can give quite different interpretations of problems.  Morning, noon or afternoon and especially bright sun or cloud cover and even shade. 

Water management: This time of year, am I applying too much?  Slow green speed, too soft a surface, or too soft on collars and approaches? The other side:  Too firm, too dry, and hot spots, or the expense of applying unneeded water! 

The lenses have become a unique tool in my management system.  I have observed dry areas on greens that to the naked eye are only the size of a baseball, when the lenses are used, it is actually the size of a basketball.  Areas that, again to the naked eye, are green and vibrant are showing dryness.  Upon using a soil probe, they are dry.  Only the lenses are seeing this. 

Do not be misled by the thought of under management, I am currently using both wettings agents, through a hose end sprayer and a dry applied. 

Disease: At this point I am only dealing with fusarium.  The observations were astounding!  I saw 15-20 dime to quarter size dots on 3 of my 20 greens.  Since our program is set up as a curative rather then preventative system, normal procedure would be to watch it a day and see if the turf grows out of this condition or not.  Well I thought let’s try out those new gimmick lenses. Hah! Under the lenses I could see my greens had measles.  I’m not kidding, the greens were covered with disease I couldn’t see. 

I sprayed.  The next day the normal outer ring that shows healthy and growing fusarium was gone.  I looked through the lenses, still measles, I have never been able to observe fusarium after it is stopped.  Well, a week later, the measles are still there, only through the lenses, but I still can’t see this with the naked eye, nor can any of my spraying crew!  Observing the recovering dots, I note the grass plants are actually greener and leaf blade is wider. 

I have now become a researcher (haha) what will other disease look like?  I am now taking pictures with my camera through the lenses.  I am certain more images will turn up. 

POA ANNUA:  Didn’t mention the seourge!  The lenses key in on this turf beautifully. One doesn’t know how much POA one has, until observed through them.  Not only do you see all the POA in the green, (tee, fairway, rough) but the seed head production as well.  I have now advanced my seed head suppreion spray as I can see the build-up before it surfaces to the naked eye.

I am also seeing POA die back which at this point there isn’t any cure that I am aware of.  Sometimes these lenses tell you too much! 

Negative:  Early light air in the morning 5:00 am – 7:00 am with cloud cover is harder to see; as the lenses are dark in shade I am not seeing the dry spots as well.  Can’t see disease as well either.  Definitely helps to have clear skies and sunlight. 

 

In summary, the stress detection glasses block the green color reflected from the chlorophyll found in normal healthy vegetation, causing it to look black or gray. The human eye is very sensitive to light in this color range, so any off-green colors caused by disease, poor nutrition, or insects will stand out against this black background as glowing red, coral, pink or other hues. If the mower blades are not sharp, they will cut a ragged edge on the glass that puts the plant is stress, these ragged edges show up really fast using the PSD glasses, long before you can see them with the naked eye. Using the NASA lenses allow you to see the problems long before you would otherwise see them. It is like looking into the future.