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Categories: Thermal Imaging

Daily use of thermal imaging will allow you to appreciate this technology’s advantages fully. It brings many benefits to people and gradually becomes indispensable.

Thermal Imaging Technology pros:

  • simple operating principle
  • variety of ways of application
  • efficiency even in complete darkness
  • the ability to detect hidden or camouflaged objects
  • providing data on the degree of heating of observed objects and living beings

Thermal Imaging Technology cons:

  • inability to create the most compact optics
  • high financial costs

Thermal imagers can also have built-in video recorders for capturing images and videos of observed objects and many other auxiliary functions, such as wireless data (photo, video) transmission (radio channel, Wi-Fi) to external devices, remote control of the unit (using a mobile device for instance), integration with a laser rangefinder (with data from rangefinder appearing on the screen of the unit) and integration with GPS-sensors (geo-positioning) etc.

THERMAL IMAGING APPLICATIONS

Military industry

Initially, thermal imaging equipment was manufactured for the needs of the army, so for many years it has been used by soldiers of various units. Thanks to the capabilities of TI, it is possible to detect the location of enemy manpower and equipment. This gives a particular advantage and helps to complete any military operation.

Medicine

Thermal imaging helps to diagnose patients and find signs of certain diseases. Thermal technology is also actively used in veterinary medicine.

Hunting

The thermal technology makes it possible to see the outlines of warm-blooded creatures and quickly determine their species. Such information helps the hunter to accurately shoot only those animals that have been chosen as the object of hunting.

Automotive industry

Thermal imaging capabilities are used to determine the temperature of various car parts that heat up more than others during trips. This procedure is carried out during the testing of new models, and without it, the vehicle will not be put up for sale.

Aviation

This industry uses thermal imaging at the stage of inspection or repair of air transport. It helps specialists to study the state of the skin of an aircraft or helicopter by looking for heat losses. In addition, various onboard equipment is monitored using TI devices (for example, to search for wiring problems). Another option for exploiting modern technology is the repair of different parts of aircraft.

Science

Scientists use thermal technology for various purposes, ranging from the search for multiple animals by zoologists and ending with numerous experiments by laboratory workers. In addition, thermal imaging provides much helpful information about the state of complex scientific equipment, which helps to identify various problems promptly.

Construction

In any building, various thermal insulation materials are used. To properly distribute them over the surface, thermal imaging is used. With its help, finding the most problematic places that need more attention is possible. In addition, the equipment used by TI makes it possible to detect defects in the thermal insulation of buildings.

Metallurgy

Professionals working in the metallurgical industry need to monitor the temperature of the metal constantly. For these purposes, special TI devices are often used, which are adapted to perform such tasks. In addition, using thermal imaging, metallurgists manage to obtain information about the quality of the heat-insulating layer of furnaces, thereby preventing various accidents.

Energy

TI devices make it possible to conduct a qualitative inspection of power lines, diagnose the state of heating networks, and search for ignition sources of fuel materials. In addition, power engineers actively involve thermal imaging in repair work, using its capabilities to detect breaks, thermal insulation defects, and other shortcomings.

Chemical industry

This industry is one of the most dangerous, so it is essential to use all the latest innovations to increase employees’ safety. These innovations include recently released TI equipment. With it, you can monitor the temperature of chemicals and prevent them from going beyond the permissible limits. Another option for thermal imaging is assessing the tightness of vessels in which chemicals are stored.

Art

With the help of various devices, specialists monitor the condition of the paintings and find multiple defects in the frescoes. Timely identification of any problems will allow you to quickly take the necessary measures to save art masterpieces from “death.”

Sports

Thermal imaging is used in many competitions, from car and motorcycle races to cycling. With the help of TI devices, judges control multiple parameters of cars, motorcycles, and bicycles and look for prohibited and carefully hidden structural elements (for example, additional mini engines).

Thermal imagers offer efficient operation in darkness, detecting hidden objects and providing crucial data on temperature variations in diverse settings. While compact optics and high costs remain drawbacks, these devices integrate video recording, wireless data transmission, and other advanced functionalities. From military strategies to medical diagnoses, hunting, automotive testing, aviation, science, construction, metallurgy, energy, and even the art world, thermal imaging plays a vital role. Thermal imagers applications span safety in the chemical industry, preserving art, and enhancing fairness in various sports competitions.

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Categories: Thermal Imaging

The operation of all thermal imaging systems is based on the perception of the temperature differences between an object against a background and on the conversion of that difference to a visible image. Because all bodies are not heated up equally a picture of IR distribution appears.

The higher the difference between objects IR radiation intensity and the background’s IR radiation intensity the more resolvable and with better contrast the thermal image will be. Contemporary thermal imaging devices are capable of detecting temperature differences of 0.015-0.07°C.

How a Thermal Imager Works
  • A special lens focuses the infrared light emitted by all of the objects in view.
  • The focused light is scanned by the infrared detector elements creating electric impulses.
  • The impulses are sent to a signal-processing unit that translates the information from the elements into data for the display.
  • The signal-processing unit sends the information to the display, where it appears as various colours depending on the intensity of the infrared emission.
DETECTOR TYPES

There are two main detector types: cooled detector and uncooled detector.

Cooled Detector

Cooled thermal imagers technology implemented in cameras based on a detector that works at cryogenic temperature close to 77 degrees Kelvin (about -200°C) or lower.

Cooled detector is used to detect targets that have tiniest temperature change, long range, and high moving speed.

Cooler Detector Working Principles

Sensitive materials produce photoelectric effect by absorbing infrared radiation.

ADVANTAGES

  • High sensitivity
  • Long detection range
  • Fast response
  • Stable performance

DISADVANTAGES

  • Working in cryogenic environment
  • Relatively high-power consumption
  • Expensive

Application – High-end fields such as aerospace, ships etc.

Cooler Detector Application

High-end fields such as aerospace, ships.

UNCOOLED DETECTOR

Uncooled thermal imagers technology implemented in detectors that work at ambient temperature range.

Uncooled detector is best choice for targets with short distance and not requiring very high-quality thermal imaging and affordable.

Working Principle

The thermal effect of infrared radiation is used to detect infrared radiation.

ADVANTAGES

  • Small size and light weight

  • Low power consumption

  • Long operating life

  • Working at room temperature

DISADVANTAGES

  • Low sensitivity
  • Short detection range
  • Slow response

Application – Wide range of civilian and military applications.

Discover the essence of thermal imaging devices, rooted in detecting temperature variations and converting them into visible images. Modern thermal imagers detect temperature differences as low as 0.015-0.07°C, highlighting intricate details. These devices employ special lenses to focus infrared light emitted by observed objects, converted into electrical impulses by infrared detector elements. Cooled detectors, functioning at cryogenic temperatures, offer high sensitivity and long-range detection, suited for aerospace and high-speed targets. In contrast, uncooled detectors, operating at ambient temperatures, offer affordability and versatility for civilian and military applications despite lower sensitivity and shorter ranges. Explore the operational principles and applications driving thermal imaging technologies forward.

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Categories: Thermal Imaging

Thermal imaging is a method of improving visibility of objects in a dark environment by detecting the objects’ infrared radiation and creating an image based on that information. Thermal imaging works in environments without any ambient light and can penetrate obscurants such as smoke, fog, and haze. All objects emit infrared energy (heat) as a function of their temperature – the hotter an object is the more radiation it emits. A thermal imager can detect tiny differences in temperature, collect the infrared radiation from objects in the scene and create an electronic image based on information about the temperature differences.

Thermal images are normally greyscale in nature: black objects are cold, white objects are hot and the depth of grey indicates variations between the two. Our devices, however, have a variety of coloured polarity modes to help users identify objects at different temperatures. We offer thermal imaging hand-held monoculars for short, medium, and long-range observation, medium and long-range binoculars, goggles, weapon sights for a variety of weapons, and easy-to-use clip-on systems.

Thermal Imaging History

Before 1800’s, the existence of the infrared portion of the electromagnetic spectrum wasn’t even suspected.

Discovery of Infrared

In 1800, William Herschel, a German-British astronomer and composer, when studying the Sun’s surface and its spots for the Royal Society of London, conducted an experiment measuring the difference in temperature between the colours in the visible spectrum. He used plates of darkened glass of different colours (light filters) in his experiment and noticed that some of the plates were warmer than others. It made him think that temperature depends on a plate’s colour. He placed thermometers within each color of the visible spectrum. The results showed an increase in temperature from blue to red. When he noticed an even warmer temperature measurement just beyond the red end of the visible spectrum, Herschel had discovered infrared light! Herschel used terms ’radiant heat’ and ‘heat rays’. The term ‘Infrared’ appeared later in 19th century.

Research in 1800 –1900 – developing IR detectors

1829 – Leopoldo Nobili, an Italian physicist, created the first known thermocouple, fabricating an improved thermometer, a crude thermopile.   

1833 – Macedonio Melloni, an Italian physicist, based on the Nobili’s instrument, created multielement thermopile that could detect a person 10 metres away.

1880 – Samuel Langley, an American astronomer and physicist, has perfected the design of bolometer, the invention of a Swedish mathematician called Adolf Ferdinand Svanberg from Uppsala University, who came up with the idea to place a thin darkened metal plate in infrared radiation and measure the change of its resistance.

Research in 1900s and now – developing thermographic camera

1913 – First industrial application of infrared technology to detect the presence of icebergs and steamships.

1929 – Kalman Tihanyi, a Hungarian physicist, invented the infrared-sensitive camera for anti-aircraft defence in Britain.

1930 – 1950

From 1930 to 1950 developments of thermal imagers were conducted in several European countries, which was stimulated by tense political situations and later war. During this time the first samples of single-element devices were produced – evaporographs, vidicons. With various effectiveness, they were used for detecting enemy forces. In 1942 the German army successfully applied evaporographs for communication in the battlefield.

1950 – 1960
In the 1950 and 60’s Texas Instruments, Hughes Aircraft, together with Honeywell developed single-element detectors, that could scan a scene and produce a linear image.

1970 – Philips and English Electronic Valve (EEV) develop the pyroelectric tube, which led to the first naval thermal imager used by the Royal Navy for shipboard firefighting.

1978 – The research and development department of Raytheon patented ferroelectric detectors based on barium strontium titanate (BST).

1980s – Microbolometer technology is developed.

1990s – Introduction of high resolution, uncooled focal plane arrays.

Now – Introduction of high resolution, uncooled Thermal Imagers at affordable prices.

To sum up, thermal imaging operates by capturing infrared radiation emitted by objects, enabling visibility in darkness and through obstructions like smoke or fog. Objects emit heat in the form of infrared energy, with temperature differences creating distinguishable images. While traditionally grayscale, modern thermal imaging devices offer diverse color polarity modes for temperature variation identification. Our range of thermal imaging devices includes handheld monoculars, binoculars, goggles, weapon sights, and clip-on systems. Trace the evolution from William Herschel’s 1800 infrared discovery to the recent advent of affordable, high-resolution, uncooled Thermal Imagers, revolutionizing applications across various industries.

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Categories: Night Vision

Night vision technology has revolutionized multiple industries, enhancing capabilities and ensuring safety in low-light conditions. Primarily rooted in the military, night vision aids in training, reconnaissance, and combat operations. Beyond defence, it plays a pivotal role in rescue operations, security activities, driving, aviation, scientific research, tourism, hunting, fishing, construction, and even entertainment. Enabling visibility in darkness, it saves lives, protects property, aids research, and enhances recreational experiences. Explore the diverse applications of night vision technology across sectors, illuminating the unseen world after dark.

Night Vision Technologies in Military industry

The whole history of NV technology is inextricably linked with the military sphere. Therefore, it is not surprising that night vision is most widely used here. Thanks to its capabilities, they conduct training and combat operations in the dark, engage in reconnaissance and assess the situation on the battlefield. In addition, NV is an indispensable addition to military equipment, helping soldiers to manage it and perform various actions.

Night Vision Technologies in Rescue operations

People often need help in unfamiliar areas and get into trouble. In this situation, their only chance for survival will be the operational work of rescuers. To find people needing help quickly, search and rescue operations are carried out 24 hours daily. In the dark, such work will be impossible without NV. It will help to find a person, thereby saving his life.

Night Vision Technology in Security activities

Darkness is a good disguise. This feature is used not only for good purposes but also for criminal ones. The capabilities of NV technology are used to protect property from fraudsters or prevent unauthorized persons from entering the territory of an infrastructure facility. It will allow you to detect in advance the presence of unauthorized persons in the protected area and take the necessary measures to detain them.

Night Vision Technology in Driving

Most accidents occur at night. To remedy the situation, many drivers use NV devices. They make even poorly lit roads visible and reduce the likelihood of collisions, side ramps falls off cliffs, and other troubles. NV also helps manage vehicles used for industrial purposes (for example, combines, tractors, loaders, etc.).

Night Vision Technology in Aviation

It is much more dangerous to fly at night than during the day, so airplane and helicopter pilots can’t do without night vision. Devices using this technology extensively simplify the take-off and landing procedure, making it safer. In addition, NV makes it possible to find landmarks in the dark and choose the right direction of movement.

Night Vision Technology in Science

The nocturnal lifestyle of many animals complicates the process of studying them. However, in such cases, NV technologies come to the aid of scientists. They help find species of interest in the dark, determine their sex, estimate size, and do many other things. Also, thanks to the possibilities of night vision, it will be possible to simply observe the animals from dusk to dawn and enjoy their beauty.

Night Vision Technology in Tourism

Long hikes are one of the most popular tourist destinations. They provide round-the-clock being in close contact with wildlife, which is dangerous to humans. In this regard, lovers of tourism need to use night vision. It will help you find the right direction of movement, navigate the terrain, inspect the territory for the presence of dangerous predators on it, equip the camp after sunset, and much more.

Night Vision Technology in Hunting and Fishing

There are many varieties of these two popular entertainments. One of them is night fishing and hunting. Both classes can only be done with the use of NV. It will help fishermen find a suitable place to cast their line and constantly watch the tackle. For hunters, night vision will make it easier to see animals and increase the chances of making an accurate shot.

Night Vision Technology in Construction

The process of building various buildings requires precise adherence to deadlines. This may be due to dozens of factors, ranging from expected worsening weather conditions to a desire to avoid penalties. To invest on time, builders work around the clock. During the night shift, many workers have to use NV. It will make it possible to carry out any work and increase the safety of builders.

Night Vision Technology in Entertainment

Paintball, airsoft, and other similar entertainments are held during the day and at night. In the second case, the game participants will need some NVDs. They will help detect opponents in the dark and make it possible to shoot at them from any distance accurately. You will need NV technology and referees to monitor game rules compliance.

Originating from military use, night vision technology aids in training, combat, and reconnaissance. Beyond defence, it facilitates rescue operations, enhances security measures, improves driving safety, aids aviation, supports scientific research, elevates tourism experiences, aids hunting and fishing, assists in construction work, and even augments recreational activities. This groundbreaking technology enables vision in darkness, ensuring safety, optimizing operations, and broadening possibilities in sectors ranging from defense to entertainment, illuminating unseen realms after dusk.

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