TOMORROW'S TECHNOLOGY TODAY
THERMAL IMAGING FOR SURVEILLANCE APPLICATIONS
Security, Law Enforcement, Maritime, Military and more
Facilities Security
Many companies rely on the open and outdoor display of products as the basis of their business, such as automobiles and boats. In most cases, the only security available at night in these situations is a visual camera looking over a highly lit area. Because of either economic and/or power supply considerations, serious concerns are now being presented as to the future viability of this approach. Because of IR imaging’s ability to detect intruders without any artificial light, a company can significantly reduce its outdoor lighting requirement or eliminate it all together.
Law Enforcement
Most illegal activities occur in the darkness of night. So how does one observe an area looking for lawbreakers at night when no means of visual sight is available? Using spotlights to see what is happening modifies the very behavior that is being witnessed. IR cameras allow one to set back at a safe and unnoticeable distance and record the activity as it occurs, in total darkness and without the need for artificial lightin
Search and Rescue
Historically, being forced to call off a search for a lost survivor because it got too dark out to see was a fact of life. IR camera technology mitigates this problem by treating the victim as a heat source providing a visual representation of the scene to the rescuer, making the historically impossible darkness into a simple inconvenience.
Marine Surveillance
The recreational use of our waterways continues to explode and the need, or desire, for management tools to help ensure these waterways are safe and secure continues to grow as well. IR cameras are great marine environment tool, whether the need is law enforcement patrol, ensuring both the legal and safe use of our waterways, or the need is accident avoidance for a ferry service.
Mobile Surveillance
Bad behavior does not always occur in a controlled area. If a security responsibility includes a large area that can only be covered by a mobile patrol, IR cameras are a small and a very portable option.
Event/Crowd Management
Many events are conducted in the evening hours when an individual bent on illegal activities can use the darkness to take the greatest advantage of an unsuspecting victim. IR imaging technology is a proven method in detecting and defeating criminal activity in dark alleys and remote parking lots, for example, or in hidden vegetation obscured corners.
Maintaining Perimeter Integrity
Most protected facilities, such as power utilities or refineries, are enclosed in protective fencing or are bordered by water. While these security measures provide a certain level of protection, they only act as a nuisance obstacle at night for someone intent on vandalism, theft, or protest. IR cameras can augment and sometimes completely replace conventional mobile patrols at night - in total darkness.
Facility Safety
Many facilities have large un-lit parking lots or dark walkways, each presenting some risk to employees and patrons that have to use them. An IR camera will make those dark, invisible areas visible for the security posts that are tasked with securing them.
Military
Numerous military uses are possible with thermal imaging cameras. Recently the US Navy purchased several ToughCam Pro's for electrical inspections on submarines and other naval facilities. The use of thermal imaging supercedes night vision in military applications where natural luminance is not available. For more information please call us.
Article:
Digital IR cameras applications in military
Digital IR cameras are one of many applications that use IR radiation generated from objects to generate a clear photo or video for that object. It’s used in many applications in industry, researches, and security.
In military applications the IR cameras are fixed on rifle scopes, tanks, helicopters and many military types of equipment for the purpose of scanning the battlefield and easily detecting and infiltrating targets at night.
In the past IR detection equipment was used in World War II, but it was heavy and large compared to what we have today; it used IR active technology which depends on radiating invisible IR radiation to scan the battlefield. Today the digital IR camera has a light weight and small size thanks to the 20th century electronic revolution which allowed electronic devices to be smaller and easier to handle. It uses IR passive detection technology, in which the IR radiation from objects is detected by different detection technologies, amplified up to five thousand times, electronically filtered to generate a clear picture for the object, and then converted to a digital photo to be clearer.
The range of the camera depends on the temperature of the object, and distance between the camera and the object, also the type of detection and filtration technology used in the digital IR camera, as there are many detection and filtration technologies like photo-conduction and photo-voltage technology, and many filtration technologies that mainly use electronic components for filtration. The digital IR camera in military applications have different design aspects, as it has to be more reliable, practical and equipped with data storage and measurement units. For example IR cameras on the rifle scopes don’t operate with AC power; it operates with DC battery power. The main challenge for military equipment using IR digital cameras is that the picture can be disturbed using laser radiation from the enemy side. The researches are still coming every day with new technologies, and the battle today is the battle of knowledge.
by TARIQ M. ALI
About the Author:
Mr Ali has experience in military equipment maintinance and development
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