Thermal imager flir one for android reviews. The FLIR One: what can a thermal imager for a phone do? Certificates and licenses

The second generation Flir One was first introduced in 2015. This is a compact thermal imager based on the updated Lepton IR module with a 160 x 120 pixel matrix. It allows you to shoot infrared photos and videos with a resolution of 640 x 480 pixels, judge the quality of the images for yourself. We tested the device on two Samsung GALAXY Note 4 and 5 smartphones.

IR images from the FLIR One thermal imager

A thermal imager will allow you to detect heat sources invisible to the eye, find electrical problems, allow you to compare relative temperatures, and see in the dark, smoky environments, and through dense bushes.

How to use FLIR One?

Connect the thermal imager to your smartphone or tablet via micro-USB, simply insert it into the connector, press the power button on the side of the camera to turn on the thermal imager and you can immediately start working. Don't forget to install the FLIR ONE app from Google Play first, it's free. The software is quite simple and can be mastered in just 10 minutes.

The application allows you to choose a color palette, offering 8 color options; choose the one that best suits your needs. There are several shooting modes; by default, the camera operates in photo mode, but it is possible to shoot infrared video and make colorful IR panoramas. There is also a slow motion mode. You don't need to connect your FLIR ONE camera to your phone to view saved infrared images and captured thermal video. A separate folder called FLIROne is automatically created on your smartphone, and all your thermal imaging creativity is saved there.

FLIR ONE combines thermal and optical modules

MSX technology combines visible and thermal imaging to give you a clearer, more detailed image that even reads text. This function requires visible light to operate. Therefore, when shooting in the dark, turn on the backlight. To photograph objects close-up, you can set the mode for combining a photo of the visible spectrum with a thermal one. This mode can be turned on or off from the control panel using the macro macro button with a flower icon.

Charging the FLIR One

Connect the Micro USB cable to the FLIR ONE and the other end to a 1A power source. The LED indicator blinks while the device is charging. A full charge of the FLIR ONE takes 40 minutes (from a 1A power source). A constant indicator light indicates the battery is fully charged. Maximum battery life is 1 hour.

Automatic calibration

Inside the camera is an automatic shutter that is periodically activated and allows the thermal imaging camera to calibrate. When the shutter is activated, the image freezes for a short period. The shutter is used to improve image quality. When you first turn on the camera and periodically during its operation, the application performs automatic calibration, this allows you to improve image quality. The shutter can be manually activated by tapping the calibration icon in the top right corner of the home screen. You can enable manual calibration by disabling automatic calibration in the Settings menu.

Temperature measurement

The FLIR ONE Thermal Imager calculates approximate temperature values ​​and should not be considered exact. The temperature displayed on the device screen is influenced by many factors, the main ones being the emissivity of the object and the distance to it. Temperature values ​​may depend on the time of day, weather conditions, and other hot or cold objects located near the object under study and reflecting its heat. Periodic calibration improves image quality and more accurately calculates temperature values. The new spot measurement feature detects temperature differences as small as 0.1°C.

MSX technology for thermal imaging

Raw thermal images look nice, but they don't provide much detail. That's why the FLIR ONE thermal imager blends both images (thermal and regular video) using MSX technology, which adds detail to the raw thermal data. Using MSX technology, the FLIR ONE thermal imager captures more object detail.

What applications are there for FLIR ONE?

• FLIR ONE provides the ability to easily store and share the thermal images you need.
• CloseUP - provides macro photography capabilities.
• Panorama - View, receive and share video, showing changes in the scene and the temperature of objects over time.
• Paint - creating and sharing photographs in which colors and thermal image elements are selected.
• SDK (Software Development Kit) - available for creating user applications - several new applications have recently been introduced by developers into the iTunes app store.

Where can the FLIR One thermal imager be used?

FLIR One is the first consumer thermal imager at a reasonable price and with good characteristics, which are enough for almost any application. At home and on vacation, for work and entertainment.

You can use this gadget when checking the operation of heated floors, ventilation or refrigeration units, and checking the electrical system in the house. If you have started a renovation, you can use a thermal imager to check the quality of the work performed, whether it is blowing from the windows, evaluate the quality of insulation, and identify areas of heat loss in an apartment or house. With a thermal imager, you can find leaks in pipes hidden in the walls; even the smallest water leaks can lead to the formation of fungus and the appearance of pathogenic microbes. If you are a car mechanic, FLIR One will be a good assistant for engine diagnostics, you can check the integrity of electrical wiring and identify areas with insulation breakdowns. If you are a cook and you need to determine the readiness of food or simply measure the temperature of the cooking process so that nothing burns, a thermal imager will help you with this. If you like to travel with a backpack and a tent, the difficulties of long hikes give you pleasure, take a thermal imager with you, it will always come in handy and will help you find your way at night and will prevent you from getting lost in the fog.

Have questions about the product?

Hello! My name is Roman Ryapolov. I am the head of the Thermographic Equipment department.

I’m ready to answer all your questions about the “FLIR One for Android” product. Write or call me if you need advice or want to place an order.

FLIR One for Android Specifications

General characteristics
Certification	MFi (iOS version), RoHS, CE/FCC, CEC-BC, EN61233
Working temperature	0-35 °C Battery charging: 0-30°C
Storage temperature
	65 x 29 x 18 mm (W x H x D)
Resistance to mechanical shocks	Fall from a height of 1.5 m
Optical characteristics and image parameters
Thermal and digital cameras with MSX technology
Thermal sensor	Pixel size 12 µm: spectral range 8-14 µm
Thermal resolution
Optical resolution
line of sight	Horizontal 46˚ ± 1˚, vertical 35˚ ± 1˚
Frame frequency
Focusing	Fixed, from 15 cm to infinity
Measurements
Temperature range
Error	±3 °C or ±5% The percentage difference between the ambient temperature and the temperature in the area visible in the image. The measurements are valid 60 s after starting the device if its temperature is 15-35 °C and the temperature in the area visible in the image is between 5-120 °C.
Emissivity Settings	Matte surfaces: 95%; semi-matte surfaces: 80%; semi-gloss surfaces: 60%; glossy surfaces: 30%.
Min. temperature resolution
	Automatic/manual
Nutrition
Battery life
Battery charging time
Charging version for iOS devices	Pass-through charging via micro-USB connector
Charging version for Android devices	No pass-through charging
Interfaces
iOS devices	Lightning plug
Android devices	Micro USB connector
	Micro-USB female connector (5 V, 1 A)
Applications
Display and record videos and snapshots	Save at 640 x 480 resolution
File formats	Radiometric images in JPEG format Videos in MPEG-4 format
Recording Modes	Video, snapshot, time-lapse and panorama
	Gray (showing hotter temperature objects in white), Coldest, Hottest, Iron, Rainbow, Contrast, Ice, Lava, and "Wheel".
Light meter	Disabled/°C/°F Resolution Accuracy 0.1°C
Focus distance when using MSX function	From 0.3 m to infinity

Equipment

The FLIR ONE camera comes with two spacers to securely mount to phones without a case. To attach the spacer, remove the protective film from the bottom of the spacer, which contains the adhesive surface. Align the straight edge of the spacer with the flat edge of the FLIR ONE camera. After this, lightly press them together for a complete fit.

1. Thermal imager
2. Shockproof rubber case
3. Charging cable
4. Package

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Discussion FLIR One for Android

Hello.
It is intended to use Flir One for preliminary diagnostics of equipment (electrical panels, instrumentation, refrigeration machines). What are the hardware requirements? (will it work with rugged smartphones Blackview 6000, Runbo F1, Ruggear730) How much RAM is required for normal operation?
Which version of ANDROID is preferable?
Thank you.

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The certified service center PERGAM celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2016. During this time, we have accumulated solid practical experience in maintenance, repair, calibration, integration and verification of equipment. By purchasing equipment in our online store, you will acquire a reliable partner in PERGAM, always ready to provide qualified support.

The service center has official licenses for installation, configuration, maintenance and repair of all supplied equipment. The first authorized FLIR Systems service center in Russia and the CIS.

• The engineering and technical staff of the service center regularly improves their qualifications and undergoes re-certification with the receipt of official certificates and certificates in the training centers of manufacturing companies;
• At the request of the customer, we carry out calibration, technical verification, hardware and software upgrades of equipment and instruments for their use in special conditions;
• We carry out a full cycle of hardware and software maintenance of the supplied equipment: diagnostics, prevention, modernization, restoration or repair;
• Warranty maintenance of equipment and devices can be carried out both in our service center and at the client’s premises;
• For a certain group of our products we provide extended periods of free service.

More than 30 models of non-destructive testing devices have been produced under the PERGAM brand, some of which are unique and have no analogues in Russia. The software for our diagnostic equipment is written by the company’s programmers in partnership with a research institute.

Production

Modern production facilities and solid scientific potential allowed PERGAM to launch the production of its own technical safety and control systems, measuring instruments and equipment, stationary and mobile laboratories.

• The PERGAM research laboratory carries out a full cycle of development and creation of innovative software and hardware products;
• The company has formed an effective scientific and engineering core capable of creating systems with specific characteristics, adapted to harsh operating conditions;
• PERGAM is an official resident of the Skolkovo Innovation Center, working on complex technical projects;
• The company has created its own systems that can compete on equal terms with modern foreign developments:
• Mobile (including aviation) and stationary systems designed for remote control of gas pipelines, monitoring and measurement of gas concentrations (DLS-PERGAM, DLS-PEGAZ);
• PERGAMED non-contact medical thermal diagnostic system, which detects diseases in the early stages of development;
• Thermographic complexes for covert surveillance and technical security TITAN, PERGAM MC-460C.
• The developments are adapted to work in harsh climatic conditions with high levels of temperature and humidity differences.

We will teach you to use the functionality and capabilities of the purchased equipment 100%. The PERGAM company conducts training for specialists in its own training center, on the customer’s premises and in foreign training centers of manufacturing companies (in Sweden, USA, Ireland, Great Britain, Germany, Italy, France, Austria, Switzerland and Israel).

Education

The training center provides theoretical and practical training, retraining, advanced training and certification of specialists in the operation and maintenance of thermal imaging monitoring devices. Full-time training, training period 2 days with issuance of a certificate, price 12,000 rubles per specialist.

• We have developed our own methodology for training, retraining and certification of specialists in the field of infrared testing and non-destructive diagnostics with awarding certificates to graduates;
• Training of specialists in the field of thermography is carried out at the PERGAM central office (Moscow) and training centers of partner companies. We will organize training for you at manufacturing plants in the USA, Sweden, Germany, Great Britain, and Ireland. If necessary, instructors and consultants conduct training for specialists at customer training sites;
• The customer himself chooses the training time that is convenient for him, since PERGAM trains specialists in the field of thermal diagnostics all year round.

PERGAM is a regular participant in major international exhibitions and conferences. In 2007, we were recognized as the most attractive employer in the industry. In 2013, they received the honorary title of Skolkovo resident company.

Awards

The successful activities of the PERGAM company in the Russian and CIS markets have been recognized with awards and diplomas.

• We regularly take part in international industry exhibitions, scientific and practical conferences, seminars, forums and presentations, presenting technical innovations;
• PERGAM's developments are positively assessed by specialists in the field, as evidenced by the awards and diplomas received by the company;
• PERGAM is a member of the Russian, Austrian, German, Italian and Swiss societies for non-destructive testing, as well as the international helicopter association "HAI" (Helicopter Association International).

The industrial equipment we supply has international certificates of conformity. in Russia we carry out certification according to ROSTEST. For certificates and certificates of approval of measuring instruments, see the corresponding section and product cards.

Certificates and licenses

In its business activities, PERGAM is guided by the necessary set of government permits and supporting documents.

• The company provides services whose quality and level comply with Russian legislation, international rules and regulations. This is confirmed by relevant documents: licenses, licenses and certificates;
• The quality and safety of PERGAM products are certified by official certificates of manufacturing companies;
• We are the only company in Russia that has a company certificate for the maintenance and repair of FLIR Systems thermal imagers;
• In 2008, the company received the international certificate ISO 9001-2001, confirming its reliability and compliance with international standards of economic activity.

Pergamon employs 137 people in 13 branches around the world. The company's unique equipment and developments have been implemented and are successfully operating throughout the globe. The central European representative office is located in Zurich, which is the focal point for the offices in Italy and the USA.

Branches

Over the past 20 years, PERGAM has expanded its network of representative offices in near and far regions. Today, in addition to the central Moscow office, there are 13 branches of the company in Russia, the CIS countries and abroad.

• The presence of branches and representative offices of the company in other cities and countries allows us to establish close contacts with partners, really evaluate the preferences of regional customers, organize a convenient system for training specialists, reduce transportation costs and product costs;
• Today, PERGAM branches operate in the USA (Seattle), Switzerland (Zurich), Italy (Brescia), Ukraine (Kyiv), Belarus (Minsk) and Kazakhstan (Astana);
• On the territory of the Russian Federation, Pergamon divisions are located in St. Petersburg, Nizhny Novgorod, Samara, Lipetsk, Yekaterinburg and Khabarovsk.

FLIR ONE Pro gives you the ability to find invisible problems faster. This thermal imager combines a higher resolution thermal sensor, capable of measuring temperatures up to 400°C (version FLIR ONE Pro LT measures temperatures up to 120°C) with powerful measurement tools and reporting capabilities. Its revolutionary VividIR™ image processing allows you to see more of the important details. The updated design includes the revolutionary OneFit™ adjustable connector, which can be used without removing your phone from its protective case. The enhanced FLIR ONE app allows you to simultaneously measure temperature in multiple locations or areas and transfer the data to Apple Watch and SmartWatch for remote viewing. Whether you're inspecting electrical panels, looking for HVAC problems or water leak problems, the new FLIR ONE Pro is a tool that can help you do it yourself without the need for expert intervention.
The FLIR One Pro has many uses. The adapter, for example, can be used to find microscopic cracks in pipes, cracks in doors or windows from which a draft is blowing, to determine temperature and hot spots (in electronics, engines, etc.), or to see through smoke or fog . And the ability to see in the dark, which the IR adapter gives to an iPhone or Android device, can be used for video surveillance.

VividIR image processing
See and Solve - High-performance thermal imaging allows you to accurately identify problems and then document the data for your customers.
. Improved image resolution FLIR ONE Pro 160x120 pixels (version FLIR ONE Pro LT 80x60 pixels) allows you to quickly detect existing problems
. FLIR MSX® highlights the visible edges of a 1440 x 1080 HD camera image in the infrared image to create a clearer, clearer picture

ONeFit connector
Leave your mobile phone in its protective case - the adjustable connector means you don't have to choose between using infrared imaging and keeping your device safe
. Possibility to adjust the connector length (additionally up to 4 mm)
. Reversible connectors for Android and iOS

Effective application
. Expanded capabilities for a more professional approach to problem solving
. Measure temperature at several points or areas at once in real time
. Access tips and tricks in real time in the FLIR ONE app and create professional reports with FLIR Tools
. Explore hard-to-reach places by connecting to your Apple Watch or Android Smartwatch.

A thermal imager is a device designed to determine thermal radiation on the surface under study using a non-contact method. The temperature distribution is displayed on the display as a color picture, where different temperatures correspond to different colors.

Thermal imagers are widely used in the field of electric power, thermal power, security systems, military and medical equipment, hunting, etc...

A thermal imager is a very useful thing, at least for preventing energy accidents and their consequences. Using a thermal imager, you can easily determine heat loss in a building and identify hidden thermal insulation defects. A thermal imager can also identify leaks in the water supply system behind the wall or the coolant in the “warm floor” system. In the field of electronics, a thermal imager can identify short circuit locations, see the thermal operating conditions of radio-electronic devices, etc...

I was looking for a thermal imager to repair laptops. It's no secret that very often motherboards go into a short circuit along the primary or secondary power circuits. To determine the defective element, it was necessary to connect a laboratory power supply to a circuit with a short circuit, and by probing with fingers, determine the element that went into the short circuit. There were situations when the short circuit was incomplete, and by probing it was not possible to find the defect, since the failed element was heating up, but not much. The thermal imager allows you to quickly identify all of the above defects, even without connecting a laboratory power supply, since the defective element has time to heat up before the built-in protection of the motherboard works (if there is a short circuit in the secondary circuits) or the protection of the laptop power supply works (if there is a short circuit in the primary power circuits laptop).

Until recently, thermal imagers were very expensive, the price varied from 100 thousand rubles and above for the simplest models of thermal imagers. But progress does not stand still. Budget options for thermal imagers starting at 15 thousand rubles and above began to appear. Initially, I wanted to buy a budget version of a thermal imager from Aliexpress, but after reading the reviews I changed my mind, since these thermal imagers only see large temperature differences. They do not notice a small difference in temperature deviation. Somewhere I saw advice that for the same money you can buy a more serious Flir One or Seek Thermal thermal imager. Although a thermal imager is said loudly, these are just attachments for a smartphone (Android or iPhone).

A month later I received a thermal imager. True, the factory packaging was a little wrinkled at the corners.

Thermal imager equipment:
rubber protective cover
two rubber stickers - dampers
charging cable
two micro USB adapters to rotate the device relative to the smartphone
long belt for attaching a protective cover to the neck

Main technical characteristics of Flir One™ 2:
MSX® technology - combining conventional and thermal images
Lepton® professional sensor
thermal sensor resolution 160x120 px.
optical sensor resolution 640x480 px.
temperature range -20+120°C
sensitivity 0.1°C
measurement accuracy ±2°C
automatic calibration
update frequency<9 Гц
viewing angle 40°
9 display palettes
image rotation (0°, 90°, 180°, 270°)
recording photos and videos
Built-in battery with a capacity of 350mAh, powered by its own battery and does not affect the battery of the connected device
Battery life up to 1 hour
Full charge of Flir One lasts 40 minutes (from a 1 A power supply)
weight - 30 grams

To work with Flir One, you need Android OS no lower than 4.4.2 with support for an OTG USB port:
Sequencing:
charging the device
download and run the program of the same name, after which the program will ask you to attach and enable Flir One
insert the thermal imager into the micro USB port of the smartphone
turn on the thermal imager with the power button, after which a thermal image should appear

The Flir One program is quite simple and learns quickly.
Main functions of the Flir One program:
choice of color palette
selecting photo/video shooting mode
macro mode (in this mode, the slider is activated, when moving it we combine the image of the thermal and optical cameras)
we can also disable/enable automatic calibration
in the program window you can control the level of charge of the Flir One battery
There are 4 emissivity options (matte, semi-matte, semi-gloss, glossy). The emissivity cannot be specified in this program. For an expanded selection of emissivity and additional options, download the Flir Tools program, there is a whole table with various materials. You can also enter the emissivity manually in Flir Tools. But Flir Tools requires registration and is much more difficult to learn than Flir One.

MSX® technology combines visible and thermal imaging to produce a clearer, more detailed image that even reads text. This function requires visible light to operate. Therefore, when shooting in the dark, turn on the backlight.

After turning on the thermal imager for the first time, I began to study the capabilities of this device, which I was very pleased with, especially the high sensitivity. For example, if you write 123 with your finger on a wooden surface, then the thermal trace from the finger, and therefore the inscription, is visible for some time. If you walk barefoot around a room, heat traces will remain visible for a long time, especially on the carpet. I also tested the thermal imager in complete darkness; to my surprise, the image of the thermal imaging camera was of very good quality; it was easy to navigate around the apartment in complete darkness.

Here is an example of a thermal image of a laptop motherboard, which is in a disconnected state, but connected to the laptop's power supply. Power consumption in standby mode is about 0.38 W. The sensitivity of the thermal imager is enough to see where such insignificant power is spent. The network controller and the south bridge (on the back of the board) are in active mode. A temperature difference of less than 1°C is clearly visible in a thermal image.

The Internet is full of comparison examples between Flir One and Seek Thermal. But it’s much more interesting to compare Flir One 2 with a mid-price thermal imager Flir E40 with a thermal sensor resolution of 160x120 px (300 thousand rubles), and a high-price thermal imager Flir T360 with a thermal sensor resolution of 320x240 px (1 million rubles).

Thermal imagers Flir One 2, Flir E40, Flir T360 respectively.

Example No. 1. Loaded circuit breaker.


Flir One 2

Flir E40

Flir T360

Example No. 2. Phase C contact defect under symmetrical load. As you can see, the defective contact was identified very easily at the stage of early diagnosis. Moreover, its temperature is only 10 degrees higher than the temperature of phases A and B. With such a deviation, the equipment can still be operated.


Flir One 2

Flir E40

Flir T360

Example No. 3. Working asynchronous motor.


Flir One 2

Flir E40

Flir T360

Example No. 4. Heating of the coupling.


Flir One 2

Flir E40

Flir T360

Example No. 5. Electric heater.


Flir One 2

Flir E40

Flir T360

Example No. 6. Laptop cooling system.


Flir One 2

Flir E40

Flir T360

Example No. 7. Network filter.


Flir One 2

Flir E40

Flir T360

Example No. 8. A cup of tea.


Flir One 2

Flir E40

Flir T360

Bottom line.
As you can see, Flir One 2 is a worthy competitor to its more expensive brothers!
The disadvantages of this thermal imager include the short operating time from the built-in battery. In practice, the duration of work is 30-40 minutes. The manufacturer could take care of powering the thermal imager directly from the smartphone when the battery charge of the thermal imager is low. The upper limit of the measured temperature is only +120°C (this limit is quite sufficient for most cases). But now the fourth generation of Flir One thermal imagers has already been released with an upper temperature limit of +400°C. The price of this thermal imager will of course be much higher.

I bought a thermal imager for 17,000 rubles. As of March 2017, it had the lowest price among foreign trading platforms. Only the first version of Flir One, which has worse characteristics, was cheaper.

An infrared camera for a phone, mounted in a case, is a good idea, which was implemented by the creators of The FLIR One. One of the copies of the device fell into the hands of Wired journalists, who compiled a fairly detailed review of the device’s capabilities.

It’s worth saying right away that FLIR One has so far been released only for Apple smartphones, iPhone 5 and iPhone 5S. Now there are already analogues that are suitable for many other smartphone models, including Android smart phones. One of the subsequent articles will be published about such analogues, but now let's look at the capabilities of FLIR One.

A dog and the heat signature of where it slept

The gadget itself is monofunctional; its only task is to make thermal radiation visible on the smartphone display. In this case, the image can be adjusted.

Can I select different viewing modes?

Yes, it is possible to choose a gray color scheme, the familiar “rainbow” image of a thermal imager (as the developers called this mode), and a mode that displays the “hottest” places.

What about the camera?

Actually, the FLIR One body contains two cameras: a regular one and a thermal imager. The resolution of the thermal imager is 80*60, that of a regular camera is 640*480. As for the thermal imager, this mode is standard for many models of infrared cameras.

In order to make the image better, the device’s software combines two “pictures”, from a thermal imager and a regular camera, into one. Below are two images of the same dog: a hybrid and using only an infrared camera.

Of course, if you use the FLIR One in complete darkness, the regular camera will be useless, so only the infrared camera will work.

And yes, FLIR One can record video! True, only with fps=8.1

Are there better thermal imagers?

Certainly. But this is one of the most mobile models that is always with you. FLIR One can be used for both practical purposes and for fun - for example, showing children what thermal radiation is.

In addition, the resulting image can be easily viewed on any modern device with a display.

Battery

FLIR One has its own battery, the gadget does not consume the battery life of the smartphone, this is a plus. But you need to understand that you will have to charge the FLIR One separately from the device, so instead of one charging gadget you get two.

The negative point is that to charge the thermal imager you will have to disconnect it from the phone.

Does the FLIR One case make your Apple smartphone too bulky?

In general, the thickness of the FLIR One + iPhone exceeds the thickness of the smartphone itself (Captain Obvious worked on this statement). But the system still fits into your pocket easily, and it all doesn’t look repulsively thick; the iPhone looks normal with such a case.

Do I need an application to use the device?

Yes, you must download the FLIR One app for iPhone. The application allows you to use the camera, measures temperature and allows you to take photos and videos. A total of 4 applications have been released for FLIR One.

CloseUp. This application is necessary if you are going to shoot something from a distance of less than 1 meter. The results of shooting without CloseUp and with this application are below.

Paint. This application with an original name was developed for entertainment. By touching the display with your finger, you can turn a normal image into a “thermal” one.

Panorama. Actually, everything is clear from the name.

Timelapse. Used to obtain images at a specific time interval.

What can the device be used for?

• At home - to search for leaks, damage to the insulation of pipes or walls, overheated or, conversely, overcooled elements.
• On the street - everything is clear here, the device can be used for orientation in the dark. This could be a hike, fishing, or a banal walk in the park at night. Every animal nearby, not to mention a person, will stand out on the screen.

By the way, enterprising information security specialists have found another use for the device:

Specifications

• Detection temperature range: O°C to 100°C
• Operating temperature: O°C to 45°C
• Weight: 90.718 g
• Dimensions: length - 139.7 mm, width - 60.96 mm, height - 21.59 mm
• Battery capacity: 1400 mAh
• The main part of the device: Lepton Sensor module, which allows you to register infrared radiation
• Visible camera: VGA
• Charging method: micro USB and 900 mA wall charger (charges FLIR ONE first and then iPhone)
• Connects to iPhone via USB interface
• Compatible with iPhone: iPhone 5, iPhone 5s running iOS 7 and above
• Included Apps: FLIR ONE MX

Thermal imaging cameras have been widely used in many industries for decades: soldiers find targets through thermal sights, police install them on helicopters to search for people, and construction workers use the sensors to find sources of cold air seeping into homes. To identify temperature deviations in surrounding things, today it is enough to purchase thermal imagers for smartphones or tablets in the form of an attachment.

Handyman

Maybe hunting down Arnold Schwarzenegger in the 1987 classic Predator isn't your thing. But today there are plenty of uses for a thermal imager - finding a missing cat hiding in the dark under the porch, diagnosing a blocked pipe in the bathroom, or seeing how much propane is left in the tank of a gas grill. These cameras allow us to see the previously unseen thermal landscape, revealing the amazing worlds around us.

There are also limitations. For example, glass transmits visible light well, but filters what we call heat. This makes the windows virtually opaque to thermal imagers. The device can show the temperature of the glass surface, but if someone stands behind the window without touching it, then this person will remain practically invisible, although the thermal reflection in the glass can be seen. This is why thermal camera lenses are not made from ordinary glass; they require special materials, such as germanium, that transmit light in the infrared range.

Their resolution is much lower than that of conventional multi-megapixel cameras built into smartphones today. The images are blurry and the video speed is slow. But with all this, the sensations of a person who looks into complete darkness and sees a living thermal landscape are simply indescribable.

Flir One vs Seek Thermal

If you search for a thermal imager for a smartphone on Google, you won’t find many manufacturers. They can be counted on the fingers of one hand. Even a Chinese thermal imager for a smartphone is a rarity. Among this handful of manufacturers, the most well-known companies are Seek Thermal and Flir Systems. Their cameras can be connected to the phone connector. The Seek has a size advantage: the thermal imager for an Android smartphone is smaller than a 9-volt battery, while the Flir One is slightly wider than the iPhone 5S and almost twice as thick. Both devices are protected from damage when carried in a bag, but the Seek is also waterproof and feels much more durable.

The Seek Thermal smartphone thermal imager does not have a power switch, battery or charging port. This makes the camera design very elegant, simple, without any additional cables or chargers. But it puts a serious strain on your phone's battery. Flir takes a different approach, with an internal battery that needs to be charged using the included mini-USB cable. The battery charge lasts for an hour of continuous use.

Another difference that ultimately makes the FLIR a better choice for most people is that it has two cameras - a traditional VGA camera and a thermal one. In real time, the image on the phone is composed of two channels. At the same time, the high-contrast contours of the full-color camera provide the necessary clarity of temperature clots. This is especially useful when you need to return to the images later. Otherwise, it is difficult to understand what exactly is captured in the photo.

Both cameras are available for devices using the Lightning interface and for Android devices with a micro-USB connector.

The Seek Thermal thermal imager for smartphones and tablets is shaped like an attachment, while FLIR ONE is designed like a bumper for an iPhone. Despite the different form factors, the devices are united by high build quality, stable operation and user-friendly design.

FLIR ONE: thermal imager for smartphones. Description

The first generation of FLIR ONE combined the visible spectrum VGA camera and Lepton long-wave infrared sensor into a neat, removable “sled” that can be pulled out when needed. The bumper remained on the iPhone permanently, and the “sled” was detached for charging via micro-USB. In models for iOS and Android, this solution was abandoned in favor of a separate set-top box.

Unlike the Seek, which is powered by your phone, the ONE has a built-in battery. It should be noted that ONE FLIR does not act as an external battery pack for the iPhone; all power is consumed by the temperature sensor and camera.

This solution makes the slender profile of the iPhone 5s a little “fuller.” The convex shape and cutout for the lens and flash make the soft polycarbonate construction look heavier than it really is.

Apart from the two logos, the no-frills design is consistent with the rest of the company's high-quality products. The micro-USB port, charging status indicator, and headphone cutout are located at the bottom, while the thermal imager, mode switch, and lens cap are located at the back. A multi-color LED is mounted directly above the cameras to indicate power status and successful calibration.

The thin bumper has cutouts for access to the volume and mute keys, the rear lens and Lighting port, speaker, headphone jack, microphone, and even the Apple logo.

Seek Thermal: thermal imager for smartphones. Characteristics

The Seek is the size of your thumb and when connected adds 2.5 cm to the overall height of the phone. The thickness of the device is sufficient so as not to go too far beyond the profile of the smartphone.

The Seek's magnesium body is nearly weightless, but the extra chin will take some getting used to. Since the iPhone's Lightning connector or Android's micro-USB connector is the only point of contact with the phone, the thin metal protrusion acts as a support for the entire structure, meaning the module can simply fall off in a collision.

Externally, the thermal imager for smartphones and tablets is attractive, small in size with concentric circles around the lens made of chalcogenide lenses, a material commonly used in photonics. On traditional lenses these ridges deflect reflected light, but here they are more for show.

The kit includes a strong case filled with thick protective rubber with a recess for the device for reliable protection during transportation.

MSX technology

FLIR and Seek smartphone thermal cameras use completely different hardware and software.

As mentioned above, FLIR uses two specialized sensors to produce hybrid thermal imaging. Marketed as MSX, the system combines VGA camera visual information with temperature data captured by FLIR's 80x60 Lepton sensor. This approach gives impressive results, giving a clear shape to blurred heat spots.

In practice, the dual sensor is calibrated so that there is no need to constantly adjust the parallax if objects are at a sufficient distance from the phone (more than one meter).

While MSX blending is not noticeable, at close ranges parallax becomes an increasingly important issue. To compensate for this, the FLIR ONE Closeup app allows users to manually adjust the MSX's horizontal merge points. The program works in standard color modes, but lacks the finer adjustments offered by the main FLIR program, such as setting emissivities to adjust a material's ability to emit thermal energy.

Useful tools

The image response is instantaneous - the delay is felt only when panning. Photo processing is just as fast. Video shooting starts immediately, and the image adjustment tools provided by FLIR ONE are top-notch. Of these, the most useful is the spot meter, which can decipher the thermal signature value as a thermometer reading of any selected point.

One annoying aspect of the FLIR ONE's design is the self-calibration mechanism. From time to time, the application requires you to slide down a switch located just below the dual lens. Since the finger, as a rule, is already in the desired position, this is not difficult to do, but the program asks you to perform this procedure constantly. Switching causes the entire phone to move, which ruins the video quality.

Calibration resets the sensor, not MSX parallax, so performing this adjustment operation is not so necessary for image quality. For accurate readings, however, periodic adjustments are necessary.

Reliable FLIR ONE software

FLIR, with its rich history of military and professional thermal imaging solutions, has provided robust software that allows for multiple operating modes, temperature displays, and more. Unfortunately, many features are distributed between different applications, which is not very convenient.

It is clear that some functions may not be needed by users - professionals do not need a thermal panorama, but a lot of files clutter the screen and require constant switching between programs to find the right tool. Consolidation is simply necessary.

As for the applications themselves, FLIR ONE Paint, for example, allows you to paint an ordinary photo with thermal readings. The program splits the MSX photo data into two different images, which can then be blended manually.

FLIR ONE Timelapse is another useful tool that allows you to take photos at intervals of a few seconds or minutes and play them back in video mode.

True temperature sensor

The thermal imager for Android smartphones Seek uses a "true thermal sensor", or microbolometer-based device, capable of detecting long-wave infrared radiation in the range of 7.2 to 13 microns. According to the technical specifications, the sensor has a total of 32,136 thermal pixels on a matrix measuring 206 by 156 pixels.

Seek and FLIR smartphone thermal imagers use completely different sensors. Since the former relies solely on the thermal sensor, its output image is spherical and unclear. Without the sharp edges and contrasting tones of a dual-lens FLIR, the Seek's images are deceptively washed out. With a higher pixel count, the True Thermal Sensor captures much more information than the Lepton FLIR.

Another area where Seek outperforms FLIR is its temperature detection range - -40°C to 330°C, and tests confirm this. The maximum that FLIR ONE is capable of is 100°C. When measuring temperatures well above 330°, Seek's software crashes and starts showing values ​​in the tens of thousands of degrees. But this is most likely some minor error.

Instead of constantly manually resetting the temperature sensor, Seek performs this task automatically as the camera temperature changes. The operation of the electromechanical shutter is accompanied by a slight click, but its audibility is minimal.

Seek offers 3 levels of IR sensitivity, detection, recognition and identification for distances of 300, 75 and 45 m. The 36° field of view is inconvenient for close-up shooting. You can use digital zoom, but the quality drops so much that it is practically unusable.

Rich Features

Seek's only app is well polished, with plenty of great features to satisfy professionals and hobbyists alike. Along with several viewing modes - color, white, black, etc. - the program displays maximum and minimum temperatures, which is very useful when searching for objects in the dark. A threshold mode is also available to detect heat signatures above a certain level, which is useful when used in hot environments such as a car engine bay.

Thermal+ is similar to FLIR Paint and overlays temperature data on top of the normal photo. Unfortunately, this feature uses the camera, which is 12cm away on the opposite end of the phone. Parallax is not calculated accurately, resulting in the image not being aligned correctly.

Advantages and disadvantages

At $250, the FLIR ONE Android smartphone thermal imager may cost more than the phone it attaches to, but for some, the positional accuracy offered by MSX technology is worth it.

The Seek Compact is priced the same and has a higher sensor resolution, although the images it produces aren't quite as flawless.

FLIR ONE is a thermal imager for a smartphone, the user reviews of which are the most favorable. Buyers rave about the detailed MSX overlay, its own battery pack, and powerful rendering software.

Among the disadvantages are the need for periodic calibration of the sensor, the design of the bumper model specific to the iPhone 5/5s, and the software broken down into separate components.

The positive quality of Seek Thermal is the presence of a fast self-calibrating sensor, while the negative quality is the narrow field of view and little image detail.

In terms of overall quality, the FLIR ONE is on par with the competition, but lags behind when it comes to recognition. But what the Lepton sensor lacks in sensitivity, it makes up for with VGA camera overlay, allowing for incredible detail. FLIR ONE's images look amazing and the software is reliable, if fragmented. However, no matter which smartphone thermal imagers you choose, any of them will allow you to look at a world that has never been seen before, despite the fact that it has always been before our eyes.