Thermal cameras can cost well into the five-figure range if you’re buying high-resolution models with good feature sets. New models can be so advanced that their export and use is heavily controlled by certain countries, including the USA. If you just want to tinker at the low end, though, you don’t have to spend a lot of scratch. You can even build yourself something simple based on an Arduino Uno!
The build uses Panasonic’s cheap “Grid-EYE” infrared array as the thermal sensor, in this case, a model with an 8×8 array of thermopiles. It’s not going to get you any fancy images, especially at long range, but you can use it to get a very blocky kind of Predator-vision of the thermal radiation environment. It’s a simple matter of hooking up the Grid-EYE sensor to the Arduino Uno over I2C, and then spitting out the sensor’s data in a nice visual form on a cheap TFT screen.
It’s a great introduction to the world of thermal imaging. There’s no better way to learn how something works by building a working example yourself. We’ve featured a few similar projects before, too; it’s all thanks to the fact that thermal sensors are getting cheaper and more accessible than ever!
I always wondered if it’s possible to stack 4 of those 32×32 sensors in a way that they overlap, and by software retrieve a higher resolution picture of those sensors
You pair it with a normal camera and super impose the thermal image over the normal one to get something more useful.
Yeah, had the same idea too. The normal image needs some edge detection algorithm applied to it though, I am confident that an esp32 has enough power to do a simpler, less computational expensive one… But the field of view of the two cameras needs to be either the same or the color camera’s output needs to be clipped to fit.
@Phil Actually thinking a bit more about this, I think the toughest part of such a ‘multi-sensor’ project would be in designing a really clever ‘test bed’ array to ensure all the sensors are aligned to one another. Maybe a flat board (or stone plate with a very different thermal density) with lines of resistance heating wire running in an vertical array ? Just looking at a ‘hot object’ won’t let you configure anything better than guessing.
Phil, never heard of this sensor myself– But I just caught myself wondering the same thing… And though, yes they are ‘realtively cheap’– Though not *that* cheap, so I’d be curious what the obvious next step up single chip solution entails.
Next step would be MLX90640 with 32 x 24 pixels. Costs around 4 time of the AMG8833s 8 x 8 pixel.
Range only 0°C to 80°C, 1 or 10fps typ.
Lazy bones, link to the sensor datasheet: https://na.industrial.panasonic.com/products/sensors/sensors-automotive-industrial-applications/lineup/grid-eye-infrared-array-sensor
Adafruit has been selling this same IR Camera on a breakout board since 2021 https://www.adafruit.com/product/3538 and also posted an assembly guide in 2021 https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-amg8833-8×8-thermal-camera-sensor
Yes, but Adafruit sucks for anything other than hobbyist needs.
Has anyone done stereoscopic thermal view yet?
You can buy a 196×256 thermal imaging camera that plugs into your phone for about $250
Shows avg, warmest and coolest point, and allows recording video.
Few months ago I searched for cheap thermal camera. I considered these cheap modules but then I found used CAT S61 – smartphone for construction workers with build in FLIR camera. For 75$ I got 120x160px thermal camera and LTE capable smartphone with huge battery so I used as portable hotspot. Older cat S60 or Chinese ulefone armor can be find even cheaper.
$75???
A quick search shows them around 10 times that price.
Did you search for used ones? I just check ebay, there is no reasonable offer right now and there very few offers. I found on facebook market place in my country one beaten s60 for 50$, and then multiple offers for newer cat S62 model in range 250-350$.
It looks like phones with IR camera is seasonal – in winter is higher demand because people want to check thermal performance of their homes or diagnose problems with heating.
No, I didn’t check TAS* for used ones. Like I wrote, it was a quick search.
So, thank you very much for responding to my question!
I will go deeper in the search.
And have a merry Christmas!
*That Auction Site
You’ll be surprised how decent an image you can create by adding in an interpolation library. Admittedly, no detail is added but it’s much easier on the eyes.
Can’t you do the same by squinting?
B^)