Greetz, i know im getting ahead of myself, im new to arduino. I sourced a thermopile and laser from a thermometer, and there are no markings on either as to make or model. Can i use any library to make them work, or are they specific per unit such as the tmp006 library?
Your first problem is not the code, it's the electrical characteristics of the devices.
When the "thermopile" is a thermocouple, you need an amplifier to turn its low voltage into an range readable by the Arduino.
A laser diode can operate in continuous or pulsed mode. You can try to let some current flow through the diode and measure its temperature when you increase the current. Then you know which current will be allowed in continuous mode, without overheating the diode. Or is it simply a LED? On a red LED you'll measure about 2.4V when you apply an current of 2-10mA. My red laser diodes instead operate at 5V.
Heres a link to a pic of the sensor on its original board. It is a laser not an led. Forgive my ignorance, i do nit know the difference of thermocouple . i will do some research on it.
I have no idea of the laser, but it might be a pulsed one, and include an temperature sensor on the third pin?
Side note, im not sure if the laser is used to create an ambient temp that the sensor measures off of ,or if it is just used to aim the sensor at a target. All the sites ive found through google just explain the physics of the ir sensor itself. Its confusing.