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.