What is a infrared camera?

Answer 1

== == Infrared (IR) radiation is electromagnetic radiation whose wavelength is longer than that of visible light (400-700 nm), but shorter than that of terahertz radiation (100 µm - 1mm) and microwaves (~30,000 µm). Infrared radiation spans roughly three orders of magnitude (750 nm and 100 µm).

Direct sunlight has a luminous efficacy of about 93 lumens per watt of radiant flux, which includes infrared (47% share of the spectrum), visible (46%), and ultra-violet (only 6%) light. Bright sunlight provides luminance of approximately 100,000 candela per square meter at the Earth's surface

Infrared (IR) radiation is electromagnetic radiation whose wavelength is longer than that of visible light (400-700 nm), but shorter than that of terahertz radiation (100 µm - 1mm) and microwaves (~30,000 µm). Infrared radiation spans roughly three orders of magnitude (750 nm and 100 µm).

Direct sunlight has a luminous efficacy of about 93 lumens per watt of radiant flux, which includes infrared (47% share of the spectrum), visible (46%), and ultra-violet (only 6%) light. Bright sunlight provides luminance of approximately 100,000 candela per square meter at the Earth's surface.
Infrared light is just a longer wave length than red. It is invisible but we feel it as heat.

Answer 2

An infrared sensor is a device (usually with supporting circuitry) that can detect infrared light (which is below the optical spectrum) for use to a purpose. Most of the remote controls for TVs and other entertainment equipment use infrared energy as the transmission medium to carry information between the control and the equipment to be operated. Infrared sensors also have important scientific, military, security and rescue applications since they can "see" the "radiant heat energy" which is infrared radiation. This electromagnetic energy is in the wavelengths from about 750 nm, which is the lower end of the optical spectrum, to well over 10,000 nm, deep in the infrared. The "heart" of the system per the question is a photodetector or photosensor. And it does its thing based on black body radiation, which it the emission of energy based on the temperature of the object. As the radiant energy is a direct function of temperature, even the slightest difference in temperature results in the radiation of a slightly different wavelength of infrared light. (A little hotter, a higher frequency or shorter wavelength - more toward visible light. A little cooler, and the opposite effect follows.) The infrared radiation falls on the sensor (there are a bunch of different kinds, and a range of operating frequencies and bandwidths depending on application) and, through photoelectric effect, changes the "nature" of the chemistry/physics of the photosensitive material. This is seen by supporting electronics as a change of resistance which changes current or voltage in the circuitry according to the way it was designed. The application in, say, entertainment equipment control is pretty straight forward. Astronomers use infrared "look-see" imaging systems, mostly cryo-cooled, to get a "different view" of stuff out in space. Wildlife photographers love this technology. It has opened "nature in the night" for us to view on TV. There are some medical applications. Industry finds broad application of the technology in inspection/process control and temperature monitoring. As regards the other applications, a person radiates heat from his body, and security sensors can detect this to provide information. Security systems can use the sensors in structures or even in open areas to detect warm-body intrusion. They are completely passive in this application and there is no "beam" to be broken or seen to give away the presence of the sensor. Fire departments are putting more and more of the devices into service because they can "see" through smoke and locate individuals being sought by rescuers. (The prices of this equipment are grossly high, by the way. The manufacturers are making a killing at the expense of the citizens, who ultimately pay for the stuff. Fire and rescue equipment needs to be top notch owing to its application, but come on....) The military applications in targeting systems are broad. The military eats these things up. There is thermal imaging visual recon equipment and there are "night scopes" on rifles. Infrared sensors can "see" people (owing to radiated body heat) and can also see very slight differences in the temperature between, say, a tank, and its surrounds. If memory serves, the "front line" or primary gun sight for the M-1 Abrams tank is the infrared sight, even in broad daylight. (And, if true, it might just be so that the gunner gets the "same" view of a target under any conditions; he doesn't have to make a transition from an optical sight to an infrared sight.) The Forward Looking InfraRed (FLIR) sensors in aircraft (rotorcraft or "fast movers") of all types have legendary performance, as demonstrated by the TV footage from the activities in the Persian Gulf. And missiles and smart bombs use them with devastating effect. You got links. Use 'em. Please. Thanks.

Answer 3

An infrared camera is one in which the light-sensitive medium is sensitized to infrared wavelengths. It has a wide range of artistic and scientific applications. It can record images by reflected infrared light, including heat signatures. For example, chlorophyll is a strong reflector of infrared, so leafy trees produce a strong exposure in infrared, resulting in very bright leaves instead of dark ones seen in normal light. The photographic effect can be eery, but such imagery can also be used to show the state of health of large areas of vegetation. On a hot day, the cars in a parking lot leave shadows in the heat of the dark pavement, which can be photographed with infrared long after all the cars are gone.

Answer 4

An infrared detector mounted on a motor-driven platform which causes it to scan a field of view line by line, much as in television.

Used to scan and read coded information on one surface and display on other interface ,