The Development of a Cost-Effective Imaging Device Based on Thermographic Technology

Area of Science:

• Engineering
• Computer Science
• Applied Physics

Background:

• Thermal vision devices are crucial across diverse industries like automotive, surveillance, and agriculture.
• Existing thermal imaging solutions can be costly and power-intensive.
• There is a need for accessible, low-power thermal imaging technology.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a cost-effective thermal imaging device.
• To implement an efficient image enhancement algorithm for thermal data.
• To evaluate the device's performance and usability.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a miniature microbolometer, 32-bit ARM microcontroller, and ambient temperature sensor.
• Developed a computationally efficient image enhancement algorithm based on modified histogram equalization.
• Integrated a real-time display (OLED) for visual output.
• Evaluated image quality using no-reference measures and user studies.

Main Results:

• The device offers near-instantaneous power uptime and low power consumption.
• The enhancement algorithm effectively improves thermal image perception, especially for objects near ambient temperature.
• Quantitative evaluations showed improved perception quality in 75% of cases.
• Qualitative user evaluations indicated improved perception quality in 69% of cases.

Conclusions:

• The developed low-cost thermal imaging device is viable for numerous applications.
• The device provides a balance of performance, low cost, and low power consumption.
• The integrated enhancement algorithm significantly boosts image perception quality.