Kasstech Aerospace has been a pioneer in the thermal monitoring automation industry, working with FLIR – a US based company dealing with infrared thermal imaging Systems. These are basically in very simplified terms, Thermal Imaging Sensors, similar to camera like devices that have ability to pick up temperature differences by sensing heat emitted by objects.
The sensor solution from FLIR are also leading edge of technology in the field of thermal imaging. By developing unique solutions around these sensors, we are genuinely make them as our ‘sixth sense” with the ability to detect heat and thus have a myriad of applications in different fields from industrial, medical to defence.
Kasstech Aerospace’s advanced infrared thermal imaging solutions provide reliable measurement data and special automation software to ensure a powerful and accurate analysis. Moreover, by providing flexible integration with the organization’s local system structure, the installation process is smooth and seamless with minimum interruptions and customized and relevant system alignment and adjustments for a better user experience. Thermal Imaging Sensors or Camera’s
A thermal camera is a non-contact device that detects infrared energy (heat) and converts it into a visual image. Let’s dive into the science of thermal cameras and the invisible world of heat they allow us to see. Detects Infrared Rays
The first thing to know about thermal cameras is they don’t work like regular cameras. Regular daylight cameras and the human eye both work on the same basic principle: visible light energy hits something, bounces off it, a detector receives the reflected light, and then turns it into an image.
Thermal imagers make pictures from heat, not visible light. Heat (also called infrared or thermal energy) and light are both parts of the electromagnetic spectrum, but a camera that can detect visible light won’t see thermal energy, and vice versa. Thermal cameras capture infrared energy and use the data to create images through digital or analog video outputs. Detection Power
Heat sensed by an infrared camera can be very precisely measured, allowing for a large variety of applications. A FLIR thermal camera can detect tiny differences in heat—as small as 0.01°C—and display them as shades of grey or with different color palettes.
The hotter something is the more thermal energy it emits. This emitted thermal energy is called a “heat signature.” When two objects next to one another have even subtly different heat signatures, they show up quite clearly to a thermal sensor regardless of lighting conditions. This allows thermal cameras to see in complete darkness or smoke-filled environments.
Thermal cameras can see many things our eyes or regular cameras can’t see, but can be blocked by some surprising materials.
Potential use of Thermal Imaging Sensors in various applications.
The potential uses for thermal cameras are nearly limitless. Originally developed for surveillance and military operations, thermal cameras are now widely used for building inspections (moisture, insulation, roofing, etc.), firefighting, autonomous vehicles and automatic braking, skin temperature screening, industrial inspections, scientific research, and much more.
OEM Camera’s
FLIR's thermal camera cores are designed for easy and efficient integration into higher-level assemblies and platforms. Ideal for OEM applications, integrate compact reliable lightweight core modules into systems. These systems therefore can be used for airborne optical sectioning, rescue and search missions, wildlife applications and Archaeology etc. Neutrino Family
The performance series includes two new models: the FLIR Neutrino QX and Neutrino SX12. Ranging from 1.3 to >3.1 megapixels, this series includes the highest resolution MWIR camera from FLIR. The new compact and lightweight Neutrino LC, with its high operating temperature (HOT) focal plane array, sets the standard for SWaP+C.
FLIR ADK Advanced Driver Assist Systems (ADAS) will revolutionize travel and transport while improving safety. Thermal cameras, along with other sensors, will be used to quickly detect and classify hazards in the road, increasing safety for passengers and pedestrians. As a leading OEM to Tier 1 automotive suppliers for 10+ years, FLIR has the reputation of delivering high performance, reliable night vision systems for pedestrian and animal detection. Developed with this expertise, the new FLIR ADK™ is a low cost, easy to install development kit that can be used to quickly demonstrate the for strength of thermal sensors for use in autonomous driving.
OEM THERMAL CORES FEATURES
Airborne Optical Sectioning
It's a synthetic aperture imaging technique that basically captures many images over a larger area that are computationally combined to produce integral images that allows to see through.
By synthetically focusing on the ground below and combining multiple images into one integral image, everything that’s not in the focal plane.
Using digital elevation models, which are available online for nearly every place on earth, the drone can fly overhead and know the position of the ground below.
The results are impressive—where a drone with a thermal imaging camera might detect bits and pieces of a human heat signature, AOS reveals an entire human shape that can be classified by a trained AI.
Training the Artificial Intelligence
While thermal imaging is literally a lifesaver during search and rescue missions, it does have limitations, especially if operators are trying to take advantage of AI detection capabilities. With an integral image cleared of occlusions, the AI can easily be trained to detect human figures.
The occlusion remover works well enough that the occlusion becomes invariant. So it really doesn't matter computing these integral images from single images that were recorded in forest or in an open field. “Because of what, recording of the training data set under control conditions in an open field is possible.”
Wildlife Applications, Archaeology, and More
Airborne optical sectioning doesn’t only have its uses in search and rescue, but also has applications in fields like archaeology, wildlife observation, and forestry agriculture. The flexibility of the technology is a major factor in its versatility, it can be applied to any kind of wavelength, not just infrared, and any kind of aircraft.
Its cost efficient as ordinary cameras can also be used.
For archaeology projects, RBG technique is used to remove obstructions and make architectural structures visible, while agriculture applications usually take advantage of near-infrared imaging.
Wildlife observation is also benefited by thermal imaging and AOS, for example in animal population tracking. There are lots of people interested in finding out how large populations are, and how populations move and change over time and in size.
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