Like many cutting-edge technologies, thermal imaging was first developed for military use in the 1950s and 1960s, when the US successfully introduced cooled infrared detectors onto missiles. Infrared detectors eventually evolved into thermal imaging technology, which has made its way into non-military applications, and is now widely used in various areas such as industrial inspections, medical diagnoses, and in satellites.
An important milestone in the advancement of this technology was the invention of uncooled infrared detectors, which enabled cheaper and easier to maintain thermal imaging products to make their way to the general market for use in applications including security surveillance, forest fire prevention, and power plant monitoring.
Challenges of night surveillance
Conventional surveillance cameras are already highly capable of capturing video during the day or in well-lit areas. However, when faced with poorly lit areas or...