next topic »

[on:]

Thermal Image Overlay Question:

Hi All,

Just a general question on feasibility, given the expense involved in FLIR camera's, I am wondering if it would be possible or feasable to have something like a thermophile array that scans a room (on servo i guess) taking constant measurements, which it would feed to the computer.

The computer would receive a webcam input which would be calibrated against the X and Y of the servo (so you knew X and Y of the thermophile was X and Y of the image), and then the computer would overlay a transparent color to the webcam image, for example it might be a transparent red pixel if hot, and white it cold.

Would something like this be feasible, it would essentially be a poor mans FLIR camera (or Heat Camera).

I would presume with something like this, the image processing would be too much for the Arduino, so that would just be tasked with scanning the area, and reporting X and Y position, and temperature and feeding that back to a computer.

[Reply #1 on:]

A thermophile is an organism that lives in hot conditions, like the hot springs at Yosemite.

A thermopile might be found in an IR thermometer.

http://www.mouser.com/Search/Refine.aspx?Keyword=thermopile
Looks like $4.55 for 1 with a 10x10 array 'only' $358! Or maybe a 100x1 'wand' to make a low-res raster-sweep with?

One app I see is to know if some part or area of your circuit or room or factory is getting warm.

A PIR has a special dual pyroelectric sensor with lens and filter to work as a motion detector for mainly humans. It works by detecting the difference in sensed temperature between 2 sensors that look at different areas. I can't but wonder however if the lens and filter were removed, or just the lens removed and then one side masked if it couldn't be used as a straight IR sensor? Or perhaps the thing would either be too sensitive or pushed to some limit?
For just the sensor at Mouser, I see prices on some less than $2.

[Reply #2 on:]

Yes , i think that might be the best idea for this application. Just get a wand then continuously scan the area you capture with your webcam then overlay it onto your screen. Mount it on a servo and swing it up , down left and right quick enough to keep up with captures from a webcam. I'm sure there will be an easier , less expensive way using other components though.

[Reply #3 on:]

I have seen someone do that. I think using some IR sensor mounted on two servos, moving it on X and Y axis and overlaying it on a webcam image.

I believe it was posted in the Exhibit/Gallery section of this forum, but he also made a website. Think he also had instructions and code up somewhere. Search the gallery.

p.