Jun. 16, 2025
Choosing the Right Infrared Camera for Research: 7 Key Factors to Consider
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Infrared cameras are critical tools for non-contact temperature measurement, allowing for collecting, analysing, and reporting thermal data. They have become indispensable in various industry research and development projects, offering a powerful method for capturing heat signatures and monitoring temperature fluctuations. With advancements in infrared technology, many different types of cameras are now available, each offering specialized features tailored to specific scientific and research applications.
When selecting an infrared camera, it’s important to ensure that the one you choose is well-suited to your needs, as the right camera can significantly enhance the accuracy and efficiency of your work. Teledyne FLIR, a leading provider of infrared technology, has identified seven essential considerations to help guide you through the selection process. These key points will help refine your options and find the ideal camera for your research application.
The primary function of an infrared camera is to measure temperature changes across a specific area or object of interest. One of the first steps in selecting a camera is understanding the temperature range of the objects or environments you plan to study. The camera’s ability to measure temperature effectively depends on the range it can handle.
Cameras are equipped with sensors that detect specific temperature intervals, so it’s crucial to know the typical temperature extremes of your objects and environments. For example, a camera used in high-temperature industrial processes may need a broader range than one used for biological research. Additionally, think about the level of temperature resolution you require, as some applications demand highly sensitive measurements to detect even the most minor changes in heat.
By determining both the temperature range and the required resolution, you can select the camera and detector type that best meets your application needs.
Spatial resolution refers to the level of detail a thermal camera can capture in its images. The higher the spatial resolution, the more pixels in the image, allowing for greater detail and clarity. This can be particularly important if you’re working with small objects or need to detect minor differences in temperature distribution.
A camera with high spatial resolution is essential for applications that require a high level of precision, such as materials testing, failure analysis, or electronics research. However, a lower spatial resolution may suffice if you work in a broader context, such as studying large structures or monitoring vast areas.
The frame rate of an infrared camera refers to how many thermal images it can capture per second. A higher frame rate is necessary for applications involving fast-moving objects or rapidly changing temperatures, such as automotive testing or aerospace research.
If your project requires analyzing dynamic thermal events, choose a camera with a higher frame rate to ensure you’re capturing every detail of temperature fluctuation. Cameras with lower frame rates are more suited to static environments where changes occur more slowly.
Infrared cameras operate within different spectral ranges related to the wavelengths of infrared radiation they can detect. Depending on your research area, you may need a camera that operates in a specific spectral range.
For example, short-wave infrared (SWIR) cameras are ideal for laser profiling and glass imaging applications. In contrast, long-wave infrared (LWIR) cameras are commonly used for general temperature monitoring and thermal inspections. Understanding your application’s wavelength requirements will help narrow down the best camera options.
Data analysis is critical to using infrared cameras in research, and the software that accompanies the camera is just as important as the hardware itself. Ensure your chosen camera is compatible with software that meets your data acquisition and analysis needs.
Teledyne FLIR cameras, for example, come with advanced software solutions that allow for real-time analysis, reporting, and integration with third-party systems. Look for software features that align with your workflow, such as time-lapse recording, multi-spectral image fusion, or automated reporting tools.
Over time, infrared cameras can lose accuracy, so regular calibration may be necessary. Some cameras offer automated calibration features that can save time and ensure consistency in measurement accuracy. Based on your application’s intensity and precision needs, consider how often your camera will need calibration.
Finally, when choosing an infrared camera, consider your budget and the long-term value. Higher-end cameras may offer more advanced features and better long-term performance, which could be more cost-effective over time. Evaluate the camera’s potential to serve future projects, ensuring it will continue to meet evolving needs as your research progresses.
By carefully considering these seven factors, you can make an informed decision when selecting the right infrared camera for your research or development project. Download the complete guide from FLIR for a deeper dive into these considerations and more detailed recommendations.
Discover the transformative role of infrared sensors, pioneered by W. Herschel, in shaping the aerospace industry. Dive into this article to explore how these pivotal technologies, integral to systems like IRST and EVS, are steering advancements in safety, surveillance, and beyond.
Image Credit: frank_peters/Shutterstock.com
Infrared sensors are electronic devices used to detect infrared radiation in the surrounding environment. These sensors can translate this radiation into actionable signals.
Developed in by W. Herschel, IR sensors are extensively used by NASA in astronomy, for military purposes, and in infrared thermal imaging in the medical industry.
An IR LED and IR photodiode make up the infrared sensor. The LED emits infrared radiations of a particular wavelength, while the photodiode is used for detecting the intensity of IR waves.
Sensors are used within the aerospace industry to ensure safe operations. For example, during flight, sensors monitor different parameters, with infrared sensors being particularly vital—every aerospace vehicle is equipped with them.
The aerospace industry extensively uses thermal imaging performed by cameras containing thermal infrared sensors. This is crucial for precise analyses of the thermal behavior of aero engines, driven by the strict safety and reliability requirements mandated by aviation authorities.
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Additionally, infrared camera systems play a vital role in conducting efficient fault analyses for quality control purposes, such as assessing fuselages, wings, and rotor blades of airplanes or helicopters.
Composites are being used to make aerospace structures lightweight. Ensuring the quality of lightweight composite materials and other construction processes in the aerospace sector demands precise control measures. This is achieved via Active heat flow thermography, using infrared cameras and sensors to find defects and ensure the airworthiness of components.
The most important technology involving the infrared sensors is the IRST (Infrared Search and Track), which uses infrared sensors for tracking different targets that are present far away.
Its distinctive feature lies in its "passive" nature, implying that it operates without emitting any infrared radiation itself. Referred to as a "see first, strike first" sensor system by the experts at Lockheed Martin, IRST enables fighter aircraft to target potential threats accurately.
Lockheed Martin's latest innovation, the Legion Pod, features its advanced IRST21 sensor system in a podded configuration, allowing seamless operations across various fighter and non-fighter aircraft platforms through plug-and-play operation. The IRST21 within the Legion Pod incorporates block improvements that enhance the capability to engage threats at considerably extended ranges.
What sets the Legion Pod apart is its capacity to simultaneously operate multiple sensors without requiring expensive modifications to the pod or host aircraft.
The accidents encountered during the operations of the aviation industry are mostly due to poor visibility by fog, rain, and bad weather. Enhanced Vision Systems (EVS) employing short-wave infrared (SWIR) sensors offer pilots an infrared perspective of their surroundings, allowing visibility in darkness and adverse weather conditions.
Incorporating SWIR in Enhanced Vision Systems is particularly crucial for detecting runway lights on landing strips. Typically coupled with long-wave infrared sensors, enhanced vision systems provide a forward view to pilots through head-down or heads-up (HUD) cockpit displays, especially in Synthetic Vision Information Systems.
Northrop Grumman's uses a special infrared sensing technology equipped with modern electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) sensors. These special infrared sensors enable the pilot to continuously monitor the airspace to look out for threats and enemies.
These specialized IR sensors are used for accurately monitoring enemy aircraft situated at a long distance. The experts at Northrop Grumman have used Infrared sensors for developing guided missiles with advanced targeting capabilities.
EO/IR technology is central to Northrop Grumman’s infrared countermeasures (IRCM) systems, designed to protect aircraft from infrared-homing missiles. These missiles lock onto heat sources, like aircraft engines, directing the missile toward that heat.
Ballistic Missile Defense System (BMD) consists of Infrared Focal Plane Array (IRFPA) technology. The BMD system uses infrared sensors in conjunction with the IRFPA system for effective functioning.
An article published in Infrared Physics & Technology reveals that the BMD system comprising IRFPA and infrared sensors is used for endo-atmospheric and exo-atmospheric sensing and defense. The endo-atmospheric surveillance systems are used to position targets with higher levels of infrared radiation being emitted from heated windows.
The exo-atmospheric and space-based applications of such systems typically deal with targets whose temperature is much lower than that of the endo-atmospheric applications.
Infrared sensors are necessary for tracking, surveillance, and accurate positioning by aerospace defensive systems. This is confirmed by the decision of the U.S. Space Development Agency (SDA) to reach out to the aerospace sensor industry to design about 4 to 8 satellites with embedded highly efficient infrared sensors to specifically detect hypersonic missiles.
The use of infrared sensors in aerospace applications is expected to rise. With the integration of IoT and Machine Learning, the data collection and analysis capabilities of these sensors will improve significantly, making infrared sensing systems more efficient.
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Jost, D., (). What is an IR sensor?. [Online] Available at: https://www.fierceelectronics.com/sensors/what-ir-sensor
Lockheed Martin, (). An IRST Legacy. [Online] Available at: https://www.lockheedmartin.com/en-us/news/features//irst-legacy.html
Tidrow, M. Z., & Dyer, W. R. (). Infrared sensors for ballistic missile defense. Infrared Physics & Technology, 42(3-5), pp.333-336. Available at: doi.org/10./S-(01)-5
Northrop Grumman (). Northrop Grumman’s electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) sensors give warfighters a 24/7 view of the battlespace. Available at: https://www.northropgrumman.com/what-we-do/air/electro-optical-and-infrared-sensors-eo-ir
Picobricks, (). Whar is IR Sensor?. [Online] Available at: https://picobricks.com/blogs/info/what-is-ir-sensor-how-to-use-infrared-sensor?currency=USD [Accessed 6 January ].
Sensors Unlimited, (). Uncooled Enhanced Vision Systems (EVS) for Aircraft Landing Systems Using Short Wave Infrared (SWIR) Imagers. [Online]
Available at: https://www.sensorsinc.com/applications/general/aircraft-landing-systems [Accessed 07 January ].
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