Alternative Products

Melexis array

Melexis manufactures a 16x4 pixel infrared array, the MLX90621. This is the successor to their MLX90620.

• Has a range of -20 to 300 degrees C.
• Comes with three field of view options, 30x120 degrees, 60x15 degrees, 40x10 degrees.
• Configurable frame rate of 0.5-512Hz
• I2C interface

http://www.melexis.com/Infrared-Thermometer-Sensors/Infrared-Thermometer-Sensors/MLX90621-823.aspx

Panasonic Grid-Eye

• An 8x8 pixel infrared array, the AMG88.
• Configurable frame rate of 1-10Hz
• I2C interface
• Availability is limited by Japanese government export restrictions, end use and country are both factors.

http://na.industrial.panasonic.com/products/sensors/sensors-automotive-industrial-applications/grid-eye-infrared-array-sensor

HemaVision Imager

Project by Erik Beall to create a hand held thermal imaging device.

Uses a Heimann sensor element, sites 82x62 imaging array (not publicly available)
http://www.heimannsensor.com/products_imaging.php

Martin Lorton's Video Blog takes a look at the construction.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQyaKQbL6Ck

Successful kickstarter campaign raised $143,126 with 502 backers and ended 2015-05-05.
Kickstarter products are planned to ship in January 2016.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ebeall/hemavision-smart-thermal-imaging-with-computer-vis/description

This followed an unsuccessful campaign for a phone addon in September 2014.
The campaign had 654 backers and raised $155,919, short of the $200,000 required.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ebeall/hemaimager-accessible-thermal-imaging-for-smart-de

As part of the first campaign Erik participated in a reddit ask-me-anything
https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/2erlao/hi_im_erik_beall_mri_physicist_studying_brains_by/

Panning Linear thermal array - patent

https://www.google.com/patents/US5675149 1996-08-08

MP5417

Hand held uncooled camera. Examined for features to establish what is expected of a basic thermal imaging device.

Sensor calibration is performed when device is switched on.

Measurement cursors

• Can be automatic point, manual point, horizontal line, vertical line or area
• Automatic points can be on hottest or coldest spots
• Each cursor shows a value, area/line can show one or more of maximum, minimum and average value
• A cursor can be set as a reference - all other values are displayed as delta to reference

Palette

• Can be manual or automatic
• Manual allows editing of top, bottom and span values
• Predefined spans available (-20-350 deg C, -20-180 deg C, 100-600 deg C)
• Choice of:
  • Ironbow
  • High Contrast 1
  • High Constrast 2
  • Rainbow 1
  • Rainbow 2
  • Rainbow 3
  • White Hot Mono
  • Black Hot Mono
  • Hot Metal
  • Cool Metal
  • Amber

Settings

• Date & time
• calibration mode (long, short, custom)
• lcd brightness

Buttons

• Button to freeze or snapshot image
• Button to refresh image

Adjustments

• Emissivity
• TCorrect
• Distance
• Humidity
• TReflect: Hot object in background reflects off target surface

Alarms

• Audible or visual (specified colour)
• If temp goes above or below set level

Isotherm

• Set temperature range is special colour
• Ie: Isotherm temp of 50 deg, width of 1 deg, All areas between 49.5 and 50.5 deg will be special colour

Save

• Snapshotted images can be saved
• Voice comments can be recorded with save file
• Autosave can save images at a specified interval

Other

• Digital zoom
• Camera does not work well on surfaces with an emissivity below 0.7