When it comes to night vision gear, just about all roads lead through ITT. The company's Generation III light intensifier tubes are ubiquitous in American law enforcement and military operations. But a new technology from Xenonics Holdings offers a less-expensive, more durable alternative for some applications.

Xenonics' SuperVision system is a truly unique handheld night vision optic. Rather than a light intensifier tube, SuperVision uses a charged coupled device-very similar to what you find in a digital scanner or digital camera-and a digital signal processor to enhance infrared light and give the user a clear picture of what's happening in the dark.

The image quality provided by SuperVision is just as sharp, sometimes superior to Gen III tubes at substantial savings, according to SuperVision. Matt Baker, vice president of Xenonics Holdings, says the system can be purchased at retail for $1,399.

Such cost efficiency has made the SuperVision system attractive to a number of agencies, including the Fort Worth Police Department. And Baker says the SuperVision technology offers more advantages than just stretching your equipment budget.

For example, SuperVision can go from light to dark with no delay. It's also the only handheld night vision optic that features a zoom. You can magnify images 8x with this digital system. You can also manually adjust the focus and set the gain, adjusting the amount of light that enters the system. The system has inherent auto control features that allow SuperVision to operate without any adjustments. SuperVision has pre-set gain adjustments that will allow you to use the system in light conditions ranging from twilight to darkest night.

In some applications such as surveillance, SuperVision is an excellent alternative to a Gen III night vision system, and it gives the end user an ample amount of versatility.

Xenonics continues to work closely with law enforcement customers and hopes to meet their requests for use with helmets and weapons. Ultimately, it's been their input that helped in the creation of SuperVision.

SuperVision is powered by a rechargeable lithium-ion battery. It weighs only 20 ounces. Best of all, it's constructed of rugged, watertight polymer, and it can be used in any weather conditions. Need FREEInfo? Use #21301.