Thermography

Why this technology will continue to grow?

Non-contact temperature measurement is the future. It impacts our lives every day of the week and most of the time we just do not realize it. From INFRARED motion sensors at traffic lights to the infrared motion sensors on our bedroom lighting, airport toilets, automated doors at the local grocery store or the faucets that turn on and off without a touch, infrared sensors impact our lives every day in a very helpful way!

Introduction

Thermography is a non-contact, non-destructive test method that utilizes a thermal imager to detect, display and record thermal patterns and temperatures across the surface of an object. Infrared thermography may be applied to any situation where knowledge of thermal profiles and temperatures will provide meaningful data about a system, object or process.

Thermography is widely used in industry for predictive maintenance, condition assessment, quality assurance, and forensic investigations of electrical, mechanical and structural systems. Other applications include, but are not limited to: law enforcement, firefighting, search and rescue, and medical and veterinary sciences.

Facilities Security

 Many companies rely on the open and outdoor display of products as the basis of their business, such as automobiles and boats. In most cases, the only security available at night in these situations is a visual camera looking over a highly lit area. Because of either economic and/or power supply considerations, serious concerns are now being presented as to the future viability of this approach. Because of IR imaging’s ability to detect intruders without any artificial light, a company can significantly reduce its outdoor lighting requirement or eliminate it all together.

Different regions in the infrared

 The presence of water vapor and CO2 molecules in the air absorb the infrared radiations and hence allow them to be transmitted only in specific bands called infrared atmospheric windows within the infrared spectrum in which the atmosphere transmits radiant energy well (atmospheric absorption is a minimum.). These are roughly defined as 3-5 µm and 8-14 µm.

 Objects generally emit infrared radiation across a spectrum of wavelengths, but only a specific region of the spectrum is of interest because sensors are usually designed only to collect radiation within a specific bandwidth.

Fire Control

              Fire management, whether for natural resource fires, crash fires, or urban building fires, present many challenges to those who are fighting the fires and to those who are managing the fight. An IR camera is a "natural" fire fighters tool in the effort to gain this valuable real-time information such as the source of fire, etc. Since it is a technology designed to sense and display heat signatures, the cameras provides “sight” in dark and smoke filled environments, which is invaluable in the decision making process.

Animal Husbandry

Infrared Thermography or Thermology (IRT), Digital Infrared Thermal Imaging (DITI), Medical Infrared Digital Imaging (MIDI), Infrared Digital Imaging (IDI), Medical Infrared Thermography or Thermology (MIT), Medical Infrared Imaging (MII) and Veterinary Infrared Thermography or Thermology (VIT) are all names for digitally imaging a living animal or person with an infrared camera. It measures heat given off the animals and helps diagnose problem areas such as injuries and inflammation.

Conclusion

                  New applications will emerge. As with any technology, cost driving factor as well as return on investment. Safety and quality control will increase dramatically due to this emerging technology. Thermal imagers is here to stay and as costs continue to come down they will become not only more prolific, but an industry standard. Research indicates that it is extremely effective in diagnosing most types of back, neck, and limb pain, especially intractable types of pain syndromes.