Thermal imaging cameras, also known as infrared cameras, form images using infrared radiation and can detect differences in surface temperature. They have several components including thermal sensors and solid state arrays that detect infrared wavelengths. The images captured can be displayed in monochrome or pseudo-color to help users distinguish temperature variations. Thermal imaging cameras have a variety of applications including night vision, roof inspections, medical procedures, law enforcement, and research and development.

1. “Thermal Imaging Cameras”
An
Application
of
Digital
Image
Processing

2. Introduction:
 The term ‘Thermography’ mean the use of thermograms, to study
heat distribution in structures or regions.
 A “Thermographic Camera” is also called as an infrared
camera or thermal imaging camera, similar to a common camera that
forms an image using infrared rays and operate in wavelengths as long
as 14,000 nm (14 µm).

4. The Infrared rays were used
mainly for thermal
measurement. The basic form
of IR radiations beyond red
light are used for the
development of detectors,
which can detect(s) a person
10 meters away.
The advanced application of IR
technology may have been
used to detect the presence of
icebergs and steamships using
a mirror and thermopile. This
was followed up to a proposal
to detect the warm blooded
organisms.

5. Components of a
Thermographic Camera
1. Camera.
2. Thermal Sensors.
3. Solid state thermal imaging arrays.
4. Crystal slice imaging devices.
5. Smart Sensors.

6. The images captured from infrared
cameras tend to have a single-color
channel because the cameras
generally use an image sensor that has
a different wavelengths of infrared
radiation.
Sometimes these monochromatic
images are displayed in pseudo-color.
This technique is called density
slicing. This is useful because
although humans have much
greater dynamic range in intensity
detection than color overall, the
ability to see fine intensity differences
in bright areas is fairly limited.

7. Applications:
 Night Vision
 Roof inspection
 Chemical imaging
 Medical inspection
 Home performance
 Thermal weapon sight
 Program process monitoring
 Law enforcement and anti-terrorism
 Research & development of new products

8. Advantages

10. Temperature recognition:
Temperature variation in two different cases.
This is a technology in which
machines are able to extract
necessary information from an
image.

11. Conclusion:
Thermal Imaging is an
outstanding technique, if
implemented it could
contribute the Nation.

12. References:
 http://www.ti.com/corp/docs/company/history/
timeline/defense/docs/first_flir.html
 DARPA developing personal LWIR cameras to give
soldiers heat vision
 Thermal detector with preferentially-ordered
thermally sensitive element and method

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