How does a thermal imager work? Thermograph operating principle.

What is a thermal imager? This equipment is based on thermal imaging technology. Thermal imaging is a technique for improving the visibility of objects in dark environments by detecting infrared radiation and creating an image from that information.

The most commonly used night vision technologies are:

thermal image;

near infrared illumination;

low noise imaging.

Unlike the other two methods, thermal imaging works in environments without any external lighting. Like near-infrared lighting, thermal imaging can penetrate obscurants such as smoke and fog.

What is a thermal imager? Description of technology

A quick explanation of how thermal imaging works: All objects emit infrared energy (heat) depending on their temperature. The infrared energy emitted by an object is known as thermal identification. The hotter an object, the more radiation it generates. A thermal imager (also known as a thermal camera) is a heat sensor that is capable of detecting subtle differences in temperature. The device collects infrared radiation from objects and creates an electronic image based on information about differences in their temperature conditions.

Thermal images usually have different shades in nature: black objects are cold, white objects are hot, and the depth of gray indicates the differences between them. However, some thermal imaging cameras add color to images to help users identify objects at different temperatures.

Story

Prototypes of thermal imaging cameras were first introduced in 1992, but a detailed evaluation of their performance in real-world situations was not published until 2007. The model evaluated in 2007 weighed approximately 1.5 kg, which significantly increased the weight of the helmet on which the camera was mounted. Modern models are much lighter and more mobile than their first prototypes.

Thermal Vision Equipment

What is a thermal imager? This is a type of thermographic camera used in fire fighting. By providing infrared radiation as visible light, such cameras allow firefighters to see hot spots through smoke, darkness, or heat-permeable barriers. Thermal imaging cameras are usually pocket-sized but can be helmet-mounted. They are constructed with heat and waterproof casings and are durable to withstand the hazards associated with site work.

Device

What is the design of a thermal imager? A thermal imaging camera consists of five components: optical system, detector, amplifier, signal processing and display. Specialty thermal imaging cameras designed for fire safety incorporate these components into a heat-resistant, rugged and waterproof housing. These components work together to make thermal infrared radiation visible in real time.

The camera's display shows infrared output differences, so two objects with the same temperature will appear as the same "color". Many thermal imaging cameras, such as the Pulsar Quantum thermal imaging cameras, use shades of gray to represent objects at normal temperature, but highlight dangerously hot surfaces of different colors.

The cameras can be hand-held or helmet-mounted. Most thermal imaging cameras used in the fire service, as well as thermal imaging cameras for hunting, are pocket-sized models. It's comfortable.

Using thermal imagers: reviews

Because thermal imaging cameras can “see” through darkness or smoke, they allow firefighters to quickly locate a structural fire or see the heat signature of visually hidden victims. They can be used to find victims outdoors on a cool night, find smoldering fires inside a wall, or detect overheating electrical wiring.

In the modern world, it will be difficult to find a person (with the possible exception of children under 7-8 years of age) who have never heard of thermal imagers. True, there are not many people who have held a real device in their hands at least once. And yet, there are people in the world who not only have thermal imagers, but also made them themselves from scrap materials.

Is it possible to make a thermal imager with your own hands?

This need to become the new Kulibins in our country is associated with the very high cost of these professional devices. In the case of assembly according to the “do-it-yourself” principle, the price of a homemade thermal imager falls not even by several times, but by orders of magnitude. Despite the rather complex principle of operation, assembling the device at home is possible, and the vast majority of the necessary sensors (for example, the popular MLX90614ESF) can be easily purchased on Internet sites such as e-bay. Essentially, the main challenge is the optics required to accurately configure the image on the receiving monitor. Moreover, the optics are specialized, using rare earth elements (most often germanium) in their composition - and without unique technical skills and deep knowledge of physics, it is unrealistic to manufacture them in an apartment.

Effect of a thermal imager on hunting

However, there is a simple solution for this - and it consists in using ready-made optical systems from any device in which they are present (digital cameras, web and conventional video cameras, etc.).

Necessity for hunting

A thermal imager is a multifunctional device, but, in addition to being used as stationary equipment (for monitoring various industrial processes), its portable and portable version is most useful. The above fully applies to the use of the device for hunting - moreover, it is desirable to design the device in the form of a shock-resistant and lightweight monoblock, providing a high range of visible visibility (on professional models it is 1.5 km and has a protection level of over IP54). If the device is assembled using digital rather than analog optics (which makes it difficult to distinguish a hot fire from cold snow at a distance of 100 meters), the hunter will have the opportunity to find an animal or bird in the most unfavorable conditions for ordinary human vision. These include darkness, thick fog, rain, and even thickets that camouflage animals that are frozen and not moving.

For a thermal imager, the body radiation of warm-blooded mammals or birds will look like a bright spot on the monitor, which simply will not allow the prey to go unnoticed.

Principle of operation

The principle of operation of thermal imagers is based on the law of physics, according to which any heated body emits into space the more intense infrared radiation (IR) the hotter the temperature of the object - including the body of a warm-blooded animal. Such radiation is captured by our device and converted into a picture on the monitor, convenient for human perception. The difference in temperature of infrared radiation is conveyed by different colors that are familiar to us from traditional, visible radiation. From dark purple and blue for the coldest bodies to orange and bright red for the hottest ones.

This process of receiving and transmitting images is carried out in 3 stages:

capture of thermal radiation by IR optics;
its digital distribution according to temperature values;
constructing a thermographic image - simulating a so-called heat map of an object (something similar to the usual display of temperatures on meteorological weather forecast maps).

It is worth noting that for human reaction speed all these actions are carried out essentially instantaneously.

Of course, a self-assembled thermal imager will not provide the image quality and effective range of a professional device. But for a hunter who wants to detect even just the shapeless heat spot of a hidden animal, there is essentially no need for a high-definition device that costs 5, 10, and sometimes 20 thousand dollars.

How a thermal imager works - image

We are ready to offer you three practical options for assembling an amateur thermal imager - and which one to choose is up to the hunter to decide.

Thermal imager from a camera

This method of creating a thermal imager is the simplest and most inexpensive - since it requires minimal intervention in the design of the digital camera and the same low costs. It is based on the simple physical fact that digital devices detect IR radiation at the input in the same way as regular radiation. But, since under normal conditions the photographer does not need the thermal part of the spectrum, manufacturers install a special filter in front of the receiving matrix that reflects IR rays (the so-called “hot mirror”, or thermal mirror).

Making a homemade thermal imager from a camera

Thus, turning a digital camera into a thermal imager will essentially consist only of replacing one removed filter (infrared) with another (for ordinary light). Moreover, in practice, even the 2nd action, in principle, can not be carried out.

Device fromweb-cameras

This option is also possible, but it is the most labor-intensive and relatively expensive, since it requires additional costs of approximately $150. In addition, an effectively obtained device using servo drives will be able to detect only a stationary object with thermal radiation.

Features of assembling a thermal imager from a webcam in the photo

For assembly you will need:

a special board for transmitting images to an Arduino PC, installed in the battery compartment;
one small servomotor for vertical movement, secured in front of the board with tape or superglue;
a second large servomotor, placed in a horizontally rotating device and serving as the basis for attaching the entire structure to it;
temperature sensor MLX90614, connected to the Arduino board according to the diagram;
similarly connected laser pointer (indicating the current scanning direction);
the “web” itself, precisely oriented with a pointer and a heat sensor.

This design will work as a thermal imager with a target designator (however, you will have to separately download and install software for Arduino - available on the Internet and small in size - about 7 MB, along with instructions for installing sketches and libraries).

Thermal imager from a video camera

Essentially, technically, the method is a copy of the version with a camera - except that the body of such a thermal imager will be more convenient, and the image quality will be of higher clarity (however, a video camera with infrared illumination will be required).

Other options

The option of using the most common smartphones equipped with the capabilities of the Flir One thermal imager is also quite realistic (and the most comfortable for everyone who is not particularly familiar with soldering irons, screwdrivers and technical literature).

For travelers and hunters, the screen of such a smartphone (when the appropriate mode is activated) will be in no way inferior in image quality to the simplest professional thermal imagers. And also have the ability to work in the rain and visualize any IR radiation ranging from 0 to 100°C. Although, of course, it will not allow you to distinguish anything at distances of about a kilometer. But - while being about 10 times cheaper! And at no cost (in terms of additional costs) to those who simply decide to upgrade their mobile phone to such a model.

Video: DIY thermal scanner

In conclusion, we can say that a number of modern standard gadgets can easily be converted into thermal imagers - after making minimal changes to the design. And as a result, without requiring huge additional investments, they significantly expand the time and weather range of conditions under which even homemade thermal imagers can detect the desired prey. Although, when driving at night, the use of such homemade devices as night vision devices in cars is still not recommended (and those created based on web cameras are prohibited).

Seeing local heating spots and therefore weak spots in our surroundings has always been a fascinating process in modern thermal imaging. Infrared cameras have undergone significant changes in terms of improving the price/performance ratio, not least due to increasingly efficient ways of manufacturing infrared optical image sensors. Equipment has become smaller, and devices have become more durable and unpretentious in terms of energy consumption. How do modern infrared cameras work?

Operating principle of an infrared camera

Thermal imagers work like regular digital cameras: They have a field of view, the so-called Field of View (FOV), which can be 6° as a telephoto lens, 23° as a standard optic, and 48° as a wide-angle lens. The further you are from the measurement object, the larger the image area covered and, therefore, the size of the frame that an individual pixel registers. The advantage of this is that the brightness of the glow over a sufficiently large area does not depend on distance. Due to this, the distance to the measurement object does not significantly affect the temperature measurement processes.

Thermal radiation in the mid-infrared range can only be focused using optics made of germanium, germanium alloys, zinc salts or surface-coated mirrors. These improved optics compared to conventional high-volume lenses in the visible spectral region are still a significant cost factor in thermal imager manufacturing. They are made in the form of a spherical 3-element lens or an aspherical 2-element lens and must be calibrated specifically on cameras with interchangeable lenses regarding their effect on each individual pixel for thermometric correct measurements.

The main element of any thermal imager: the focal area array

The main element of any thermal imager is usually the focal area array (FPA). It is a built-in image sensor ranging in size from 20,000 to 1 million pixels. Each pixel is itself a microbolometer ranging in size from 17 x 17 to 35 x 35 µm². Such 150-nanometer-thick thermal receivers are heated by thermal radiation within 10 ms to about one-fifth the difference between the object's temperature and its own temperature. This kind of high sensitivity is achieved due to the very low thermal capacity combined with the excellent isolation of the infrared camera relative to the free environment. The absorption coefficient of the partially transparent receiver area increases through the interaction of a light wave transmitted and then reflected on the surface of the silicon crystal with a subsequent light wave.

To exploit this self-interference effect, the bolometer surface, consisting of vanadium oxide or amorphous silicon, must be positioned at a distance of approx. 2 µm from the readout circuit. Relative to the surface and the bandwidth, the specific detection ability of the matrix described here in the focal region reaches values of about 109 cm Hz1/2 / W. This makes it an order of magnitude superior to other thermal sensors used, for example, in pyrometers. Due to the bolometer's own temperature, its resistance again changes, which is converted into an electrical voltage signal. Fast 14-bit analog-to-digital converters digitize the pre-amplified and serialized video signal. The digital signal processing system calculates the temperature value for each individual pixel and generates the familiar pseudo-color images or thermal diagrams in real time.

Thermal imagers require quite expensive calibration, in which each pixel must be assigned a number of sensitivity values for different temperatures of the chip or black emitter. To increase the measurement accuracy, the matrices in the focal region of the bolometer are thermostated at certain temperatures with high control accuracy.

Transfer and analysis of thermal diagrams

Thanks to the development of increasingly powerful, compact and at the same time inexpensive laptops, ultra-mobile PCs, netbooks and tablet PCs, it is now possible to use them

large displays for presenting thermal diagrams,
optimized lithium-ion batteries for power supply,
processing power for flexible, high-quality real-time signal presentation,
memory capacity for virtually unlimited time video recording of thermal diagrams, as well as
interfaces, e.g. Ethernet, Bluetooth, WLAN and software for integrating the thermographic system into the user environment.

The standard and accessible USB 2.0 interface allows you to transfer data at high speeds

30 Hz with a resolution of 320 x 240 pixels and
120 Hz for 20,000 pixel image formats.

Introduced in 2009, USB 3.0 technology is even suitable for XGA thermal resolutions up to 100 Hz. By applying the web camera principle to thermography, completely new product properties have emerged with a significantly improved price/performance ratio. In this case, the thermal imager is connected in real time to a PC running Windows© OS via an interface with a data transfer rate of 480 Mbaud, which simultaneously provides power supply.

Thermal imager hardware

The USB standard previously served only as a means of communication for office equipment. Compared to the FireWire bus, the very widespread use of this interface standard has initiated numerous developments that have significantly increased the industrial suitability of this interface and therefore the possibility of using end devices with the USB 2.0 standard, and above all infrared USB cameras. These include:

a cable capable of being used as an energy chain and withstanding loads up to 200 °C and a length of up to 10 m;
cable extensions up to 100 m CAT5E (Ethernet) with signal amplifiers;
fiber optic USB modems for cable lengths up to 10 km.

Thanks to the high signal bandwidth of the USB bus, it is possible, for example, to connect five 120 GHz infrared cameras to a laptop using a standard hub via a 100-meter Ethernet cable.

The waterproof, vibration and shock resistant thermal imagers of the optris PI series comply with protection class IP 67 and are therefore suitable for reliable use on test benches. The dimensions of 45 x 45 x 62 mm³ and a weight of 200 g significantly reduce the installation costs of the cooling housing and blower nozzles.

Required: Offset Calibration

Due to the thermal bias of bolometers and their on-chip signal processing, all measuring infrared cameras require bias adjustments at intervals of several minutes. For this purpose, the blackened metal part is moved electrically in front of the image sensor. Thanks to this, each element of the image is adjusted to the same, known temperature. Of course, the thermal imagers do not operate while this offset calibration is being performed. In order to somehow reduce the negative effect of such a process, the activation of offset correction at a certain time can be configured by installing an external control contact.

In addition, the cameras are designed so that self-calibration is carried out as quickly as possible: The installation of relatively fast actuators allows self-calibration to be carried out within 250 ms. This can be compared to the duration of eyelid closure and is therefore acceptable for many measurement processes. On production lines where unexpected hot spots need to be detected, real-time "good" reference images can often be used as part of dynamic image difference measurements. Due to this, long-term operation is possible without the use of a mechanical element.

It is when the camera uses CO2 laser signal processing technology with a wavelength of 10.6 microns that the ability to close the optical channel due to external control while simultaneously independently signaling the optomechanical protected mode of the camera has proven itself. Thanks to good filter blocking, temperature measurements can be made “in situ” for all other processing lasers operating in the range from 800 nm to 2.6 µm.

Application areas of thermal imagers

Analysis of dynamic thermal processes in product development and manufacturing operations
Stationary use for continuous monitoring and regulation of thermal processes
Use in some cases as a portable measuring device when performing repair work and for identifying heat leaks
Flight mode thermography for hard to see surfaces from the ground

The ability to record 120 GHz video also has a number of benefits for research and development. Thanks to this, thermal processes that only briefly enter the camera's field of view can be conveniently analyzed later in slow motion. In this way, it is possible to additionally create individual images from such video sequences with full geometric and thermal resolution.

In addition, interchangeable optics, including a microscope attachment, allow the device to be adapted to different measuring tasks: While the 6° field of view lenses are used more for observing details from a distance, the microscope attachment can measure objects measuring 4 x 3 mm² with a geometric resolution of 25 x 25 µm².

When thermal imagers are installed permanently, their optically isolated process interface has the advantage that the temperature information obtained from the thermal diagram is transmitted further in the form of a signal voltage. In addition, surface-related emissivities or non-contact or contact temperature measured values can be transmitted to the camera system via a voltage input. For product quality control and quality assurance documentation, another digital input can activate snapshot mode or video sequence mode. Similar product-specific images can be automatically saved on central servers.

Optimization of technological processes in the polymer industry

The manufacturing process of plastics, eg polyethylene bottles, requires a certain heating of the so-called preform in order to guarantee a uniform thickness of the material when blow molding the bottle. The production line processes workpieces with a thickness of only 20 mm in test operating modes at a full operating speed of about one meter per second. Since the passage time of the test sample may vary, video recording at 120 Hz is necessary to measure the temperature profile of the preform. In this case, the camera is positioned so that it records the movement of the material at an oblique angle - like the last car of a moving train. As a result, a temperature profile is obtained based on infrared video, which is important for setting heating parameters.

Application of single-line chamber in glass curing installations

Once structural glass has been cut into its final shape, it often requires surface tempering. This is done in glass curing plants, in which the cut glass is heated in a furnace to a temperature of 600 °C. After heating, the material is transported from the furnace using moving rollers to an air cooling section, where the surface is quickly and uniformly cooled. As a result, a fine-crystalline tempered structure, important for safety glass, is formed. This structure and therefore the strength of glass depends on the most uniform heating of the entire surface of the product.

Since the furnace body and the air cooling section are located nearby, control of the glass surface moving from the furnace is possible only through a small gap. In the thermal diagram, the material appears in only a few lines. The software now allows you to obtain a special image of the glass surface, created from lines or groups of lines. The camera measures the slit diagonally so that with optics with a 48° field of view, a 60° field of view is created. Since glass can have different emissivities depending on the surface coating, an infrared thermometer measures the exact surface temperature on the bottom, uncoated side of the glass at the optimal wavelength for the glass surface of 5 µm.

Airborne thermography with lightweight cameras

In addition to standard interface concepts, it is now possible to produce infrared cameras of lightweight construction which, in combination with a mini-PC, e.g. optris PI NetBox, can be easily installed on remotely controlled aircraft (e.g. quadcopters). In this way, it is possible to create thermal diagrams in the air, which are used especially for monitoring large objects, eg photovoltaic power plants.

Included thermography software provides flexibility

Since USB infrared cameras starting with Windows XP use standard USB Video Class or HID drivers already installed, no driver installation is required. Real-time, pixel-specific correction of video data and temperature calculations are performed on the PC. The amazingly good image quality for a 20,000 pixel sensor is achieved through an expensive software-based rendering algorithm that calculates temperature fields in the VGA format. Application software is highly flexible and portable. In addition to the standard functions, the optris PIX Connect thermography software has the following properties:

Rich data and thermal export capabilities to support reporting and offline analysis
Mixed scalable color scales
Horizontal or vertical line representations
Any number of fields of view with separate alarm options

Reference image-based difference representation of video data

In addition, the software offers a layout mode that saves and restores various data presentation modes. The video editor allows you to process radiometric files with the AVI extension. Such files can be analyzed using software used several times in parallel and in offline mode. Video recording modes include intermittent operating modes, which allow you to record slow thermal events and then quickly review them. Data transfer to other programs in real time is carried out through thoroughly documented DLLs, which are part of the software development kit - Software Development Kits. You can control any other camera functions using the DLL interface. As an option, the software can communicate with the serial Com port and in this way, for example, directly use the RS422 interface.

Literature

VDI/VDE Richtlinie, Technische Temperaturmessungen - Specifikation von Strahlungsthermometern, Juni 2001, VDI 3511 Blatt 4.1
Trouilleau, C. et al.: High-performance uncooled amorphous silicon TEC less XGA IRFPA with 17 μm pixel-pitch; “Infrared technologies and applications XXXV”, Proc. SPIE 7298, 2009
Schmidgall, T.; Glänzend gelöst – Fehlerdetektion an spiegelnden Oberflächen mit USB 2.0 - Industriekameras, A&D Kompendium 2007/2008, S. 219
Icron Technology Corp.; Options for Extending USB, White Paper, Burnaby; Canada, 2009

– a device designed to determine thermal radiation on the surface under study. The research method is non-contact; it ensures uninterrupted operation when studying moving objects. A device for monitoring the temperature distribution of the surface under study.

The operating principle of a thermal imager is based on converting the energy of infrared radiation into an electrical signal, which is amplified and reproduced on the indicator screen. The temperature distribution is displayed on the thermal imager display as a color field, where a certain temperature corresponds to a certain color. As a rule, the display shows the temperature range of the surface visible through the lens.

Types of thermal imagers

Depending on the functions that the tool performs, there are several types:

Measuring – produce a radiometric image, as a result of which it is possible to determine the temperature indicators of all objects in the observation area. This type of equipment is used in medicine, construction, industry, when testing electrical equipment and mechanical communications.
Observational - they provide only visualization of objects; they are used in military affairs, security and law enforcement agencies, in rescue operations, etc.
Visual pyrometers are a type of observation instruments that can identify areas with abnormal temperature conditions.

Several years ago, the use of thermal imagers was available only to military departments. Today, these devices are used in many areas of industrial activity, as this makes it possible to solve many technical issues.

Production expanded not only in the form of individual devices, but also as an integral part of civilian binoculars, sights for hunting weapons, and other optical mechanisms.

The measuring range is one of the factors that determines the temperature capabilities and conditionally divides the models into 3 types:

Construction: react to temperatures up to +350 0, are used to audit building structures, determine the quality of insulation, find places of heat leaks from buildings.
Industrial: temperature limits are more than +350 0, used for diagnostics of electrical networks and industrial systems.
High-temperature: determine thermal parameters of more than +1000 0, diagnose technological processes with a high level of heating.

Their use has become widespread in modern life, both for industrial purposes and for civil needs.

Areas of application

The use of thermal imagers in military affairs

The scope of application is related to the ability to convert thermal radiation into a spectrum that the human eye perceives, and to detect the most insignificant objects emitting electromagnetic waves. If you determine the intensity of the radiation, you can calculate the temperature of the object under study and assume what it is. Using the device, temperature differences are determined; in the absence of contact with objects, they do not respond to interference, cannot be detected by tracking systems, and have a long range: from 100 m to 3 km. These operating principles allow them to be used in a wide variety of areas.

In military equipment

New modern technology is entering service today, having built-in thermal imaging cameras in its arsenal. Their use makes it possible to conduct combat operations in poor visibility conditions and to detect the enemy and equipment. In addition, the devices are installed on unmanned aircraft and remotely controlled equipment.

The ability to “see” objects at night is the main indicator of the importance of devices in the military sphere. The principle of successful operation of the equipment is the clear detection of thermal radiation. Special devices are produced for the army in the form of binoculars, sights for weapons, and they are equipped with guidance systems. They are equipped with powerful optical mechanisms, which increases the capabilities of military thermal imagers many times over.

In marine instruments

A sea or river port is a complex transport hub, and its security can only be ensured by the most advanced security equipment. Marine thermal imagers are designed to ensure the safety of water and coastal facilities: ports, berths, warehouses, river terminals.

Hunting

A thermal imager for hunting is a good help for those who are passionate about tracking down prey. Using the device allows you to track the most cautious animal at any time of the day, regardless of weather and visibility.

Building survey

Using thermal imaging sensors, it is possible to inspect any structure to determine the location of heat leakage. The results of the study will be a powerful argument to prove the poor quality of wall insulation. For utility workers, using a thermal imager to inspect buildings is a good way to correctly identify problem areas and direct efforts to insulate specific areas.

Application of thermal imaging in medicine

Medicine

The use of thermal imagers in medicine dates back to Soviet times. The devices make it possible to recognize the nature of the disease, as well as to see an infected person among healthy people based on body temperature characteristic of a particular disease.

Examination using special equipment that responds to electromagnetic waves helps detect the inflammatory process with micron accuracy and locate the area of pathology. Using the device will allow you to determine whether the patient is sick or healthy, see the source of the disease, and make a diagnosis.

Emergency situations and ASR

Features of application

Use in fire extinguishing and emergency rescue operations

Comparison of thermal imager and night vision device

We see people through the smoke

Remaining heat trace

Application of thermal imager in industry

Using a thermal imager when searching for flammable and toxic liquids (liquefied gases) in containers

Energy applications testing live wiring

The thermal imager is able to see hidden electrical wiring under voltage and distinguish uneven temperature distribution in electrical wires

Opportunities in different conditions

Glass

IR radiation does not pass through the glass, however the heated glass will appear as a lighter area.

Heated glass is lighter

Mirror

IR radiation is reflected through the mirror

Water

IR radiation does not pass through water; in some cases it penetrates through fog or drizzle.

Infrared radiation does not pass through water

IR radiation may or may not penetrate the vapor, depending on its density.

For example, fog is not an obstacle for a thermal imager.

A military thermal imager is an irreplaceable and very important item. With the use of modern integrated security and safety systems, one of the most important tasks of our days is solved - the protection of objects for various functional purposes. Strategically important facilities - airports, seaports, bases, government and departmental structures and many others - require proper protection, especially in places of military conflict.

The effectiveness of such a regime should always remain consistently high, regardless of the time period and weather conditions. This task is perfectly performed by advanced intelligent video surveillance systems. Such complexes include special thermal imaging cameras, which are becoming more efficient and of higher quality every day.

Military thermal imager: introduction

What is a standard thermal imager? This is a device whose main function is to detect and recognize a target in automatic mode. Ordinary people, cars and other military equipment, as well as important objects may be in his field of vision. In order to cover as large an area as possible and correctly find targets, automatic radar-optical systems are widely used, the radar stations of which perform the functions of indication and recognition. which allows the military to conduct accurate fire even at night, without problems detecting the enemy in complete darkness, hiding behind obstacles.

Classification

Military thermal imaging cameras are divided into two types:

Stationary models. They are quite voluminous in size and capture temperature fluctuations in the range from -20 to +20,000 degrees. Such devices belong to the developments of the third generation. In order to ensure uninterrupted operation of the thermal imager, nitrogen cooling is used.
Portable devices. A military thermal imager of this type is considered the most successful development. They are convenient, mobile and functional, and are in no way inferior to their predecessors. The information received can be instantly decrypted on computers.

Advantages of the device

The main advantage of such stations is the high speed of operation, due to which an object is quickly detected, the category of the target and its trajectory are determined. In other words, with the use of radar equipment it is possible to protect extremely important objects, and the necessary tasks are carried out as accurately and quickly as possible.

Disadvantages of a thermal imaging camera

A military thermal imager has one serious drawback - cost. The most important factors that determine the pricing policy are the lens (sight) and the matrix. Of course, a lot of work is being done to reduce the cost of production. Experts assure that matrix methods have already been found. However, with a sight everything is much more complicated. For its manufacture, very expensive materials are used, which are also quite rare. Attempts to find an alternative replacement have not yet been successful, but active searches do not stop. And this gives hope that thermal imagers will soon become much more affordable.

Principle of operation

The received target detection signal is immediately and automatically transmitted to thermal imagers, integrated together with video cameras into a single modular system. Thanks to this, it is possible to obtain the most informative and clear image of the object and then display it on the operator’s monitor in real time. This is precisely the main task of such a device as a military thermal imager. The operating principle of this system makes it possible to detect in advance the movement of suspicious objects before they possibly violate the protected area. This means that the military has enough time to promptly resolve the situation if it becomes more complicated.

How are thermal imagers used?

The use of stationary thermal imagers, which are often installed on turntables or military equipment, makes it possible to ensure the highest reliability of protection of critical facilities or to conduct reconnaissance of territories. In addition, information about perceived threats from the outside will be received with one hundred percent probability, regardless of weather conditions and visibility.

Military thermal imagers are also used in security systems. This makes it possible to protect the perimeter of departmental, government and many other important facilities. In addition to people, such equipment is capable of recognizing vehicles, any suspicious objects, promptly detecting smoke and many other emergency situations, which allows you to quickly take all necessary measures.

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