Thermal imaging cameras offer advantages over low light and daylight cameras in applications where lighting is impossible or too expensive, or where long range performance is required. For border security, port security, and critical infrastructure applications, thermal imaging has proved vital for threat detection. Even with the best daylight or lowlight cameras, in many situations a thermal imager outperforms all other sensors.
A thermal imager is a camera that detects extremely small temperature differences. These temperature differences are converted into a real-time video image. Displayed on a monitor, this video image is extremely suitable for night vision applications. Unlike other night vision systems that require small amounts of light to generate an image, a thermal imager needs no light at all. This makes it the perfect tool for seeing in absolute darkness, in the darkest night.
