We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Technology

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

What Is an IR Thermal Camera?

By Paul Reed
Updated: May 17, 2024
Views: 7,767
References
Share

Humans see light that includes a range of colors from red to violet, or purple, with each color equivalent to a wavelength or frequency of light. There are wavelengths that human eyes cannot see, including long wavelengths below red called infrared (IR), and short wavelengths above violet called ultraviolet (UV). Cameras have been developed to detect these different frequencies, and create viewable images. Infrared light can be viewed with an IR thermal camera, which detects infrared heat from objects.

Warm objects create heat that radiates, or sends out, infrared frequencies in all directions. An IR thermal camera can collect these frequencies and convert them to images that show a black-and-white or what is called a false-color image. False-color uses software to show different colors for levels of heat radiated from objects. Thermal cameras are widely used for energy surveys of buildings, where an IR camera shows the heat image of a building exterior that can detect leaking doors and windows, or areas of poor insulation.

People and animals also radiate infrared heat, which can be used for motion detecting equipment. Security systems can use infrared cameras that sense IR and send an alarm when movement is detected. Motion security systems can use IR thermal camera technology that can show video images of buildings or property at night. Some of these systems are passive, and only detect the IR energy sent out by objects. Many systems are active and use IR light-emitting diodes (LEDs) to send IR energy out that is reflected from objects and picked up by the cameras.

IR thermal camera technology is often used in space satellites to detect weather systems. The satellites, orbiting hundreds of miles or kilometers above the earth, detect light and heat radiation from weather patterns and storms and transmit the images to antennas on the ground. Weather companies can process false-color images of the weather using both visible and invisible light. IR systems are very good at showing differences in cloud heights from their temperatures, which can show the intensity of storms even at night.

Digital camera technology can detect IR energy directly, but camera film can also be used to take infrared pictures. The film contains an emulsion, or chemical layer, that is sensitive to the infrared frequencies. Infrared photography can be used for very low light conditions, or for special effects using light not normally visible to humans.

In the late 20th century, automotive designers began to include active IR thermal camera technology in cars and trucks for improved night vision. The systems send an IR frequency out from the front of the vehicle, and an IR camera collects any reflected energy in addition to any IR from people, animals or other vehicles. A heads-up display can show the image on a screen directly in the driver's field of view, which is a technology adapted from military aircraft displays.

IR thermal imaging is also used by the military and law enforcement for night vision. Cameras can be installed on aircraft in rotating pods and pointed in different directions by a pilot or crew member. Hand-held infrared cameras can help personnel on the ground by detecting IR heat sources for search and rescue or military missions.

Share
WiseGeek is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.
Link to Sources

Editors' Picks

Discussion Comments
Share
https://www.wisegeek.net/what-is-an-ir-thermal-camera.htm
Copy this link
WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.