how do thermal cameras work?

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how do thermal cameras work?

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Anonymous 0 Comments

The shortest, simplistic answer I can give you, is that they work the same way a regular camera does. They take in light through a lens. A sensor then reads that light and the onboard computer analyzes and then displays that light.

But instead of the visible spectrum, they read the Infrared spectrum. Some night vision also uses IR light to help illuminate an area

Fun experiment: if you have a LOS remote (most are) open up your phone camera and point the remote at your phone. When you press a button, you should see (on your phone screen) a little purple light blink on. That is the IR light in the remote. Your phone can pick up the light, but the camera interprets IR a certain way that allows it to be displayed.

Of course, our eyes can’t readily detect IR, which is why we can’t see heat directly. Since I forgot above, heat is basically Infrared light radiating off of its source.