Soldiers with "supervision" could be on the horizon after the development of an eye jab that enables seeing infrared light.
The single injection of nanoparticles bestowed the world of this particular electromagnetic radiation on mice - for up to ten weeks.
It worked both during the day and at night - and with enough specificity to distinguish between various shapes.
The breakthrough has potential applications for humans - including civilian encryption, security and military operations.
Seeing near infrared light directly would mean army personnel on dangerous missions would no longer need to wear cumbersome night vision goggles.
It may also lead to a revolutionary cure for people who are born colour blind, say the US and Chinese team.
In the study the injectable particles bound to photreceptor cells known as rods and cones.
Senior author Professor Tian Xue, of the University of Science and Technology of China, said: "In our study, we have shown both rods and cones bind these nanoparticles and were activated by the near infrared light.
"So we believe this technology will also work in human eyes, not only for generating super vision but also for therapeutic solutions in human red colour vision deficits."
Prof Xue, a life scientist, said: "The visible light that can be perceived by human's natural vision occupies just a very small fraction of the electromagnetic spectrum.
"Electromagnetic waves longer or shorter than visible light carry lots of information."