Last March I wrote: > The real question is why hasn't some manufacturer created a low-end > thermal imager that employs this technique. > > For example, you create a tool a bit larger than an IR thermometer, > stick a cheap CCD camera into it, and a motorized mirror assembly in > front of the IR sensor so it can scan the field of view. Stick in a > micro to drive the scanner and composite the thermal data over the > video. Add on an LCD for aiming and image preview, plus an SD card and > USB port to get the images out of it. Presto, thermal imager for under > $300. It'd be slow. You'd have to stick it on a tripod. Pros wouldn't > want it, but you might sell enough to non-profit energy conservation > groups and early adopters to get the price under $200, at which point > you'd interest homeowners.
Fluke decided to build one of these: http://www.fluke.com/fluke/usen/thermometers/Infrared-Thermometers/VT02-Visual-IR-Thermometer.htm?PID=75051 The particulars of how it works are a bit vague, but it does say that it scans the field to produce a "heat map" overlaid on top of an image. It retails for just under $900, which still isn't cheap, but a lot more affordable than a $2000+ thermal imager. The important bit is that someone built one commercially. If its successful, it'll be cloned and cost reduced. In a few yeas they'll be under $500. -Tom _______________________________________________ Hardwarehacking mailing list [email protected] http://lists.blu.org/mailman/listinfo/hardwarehacking
