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Fresnel Lenses Overview

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Have you ever looked at something and couldn't quite make out what the small print said so you used a magnifying glass to see it? Or perhaps you were looking at a high definition TV screen and enjoying a wonderful movie? What you didn't know was the lens that you looked through was more than likely a fresnel lens. If you examined the magnifying glass carefully, you would probably notice the glass as being thick in the middle and tapered at the edges. This is a typical fresnel lens. A fresnel lens is made differently from other lenses which gives it the ability to show objects differently when viewing them through the lens. What is the significance of a fresnel lens? Well, considering Fresnel lenses are used for many purposes, it would do you well to know about the lens, how it works, and why it is used. This way, if you ever used a device that allowed you to view objects differently, you would know the reason. Just what devices do use Fresnel lenses? These devices include:

• Solar concentrators: Solar concentrators are not used much anymore like they use to because they require electronics, bearings, motors, and other gadgets to work. They have been phased out by more flat panel solar panels.
• Enhanced focusing screens: Fresnel lenses are good in some applications because they direct light going through the glass to the place where the viewer's eyes are aim. If the lens is placed correctly and at the right distance from the viewer's eyes, a good amount of vision can be seen through the lens.
• Overhead projectors: Overhead projectors use Fresnel lenses quite often for the benefits they produce. If you look at a projector, you will notice a top piece of glass and a plastic lens below it. This plastic lens has a lot of circular lines on it. This is the Fresnel lens.

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