What is thermal screening and scanning?

Thermal screening and scanning is a non-invasive, uses no radiation, a procedure that detects, records, and produces a careful analysis and images of skin surface temperature patterns (body heat) as a reflection of normal or abnormal human physiology. Thermal imaging is a method of using infrared radiation and thermal energy to gather information about objects, in order to formulate images of them, even in low visibility environments. It’s a type of technology that has built up a broad range of uses over the years.

How do thermal screening and scanning work?

Thermal scanning and screening are based upon the science of infrared energy (otherwise known as “heat”), which is emitted from all objects. This energy from an object is also referred to as the “heat signature”, and the quantity of radiation emitted tends to be proportional to the overall heat of the object.

Thermal cameras or thermal imagers are sophisticated devices comprised of sensitive heat sensors with the capacity to pick up minute differences in temperature. As they gather the infrared radiation from objects in a particular environment, they can start to map out an image based on the differences and inflections of the temperature measurements.

In general, thermal images are grayscale: with white representing heat, black representing colder regions, and various shades of grey indicating gradients of temperatures between the two. However, newer models of thermal imaging cameras actually add colour to the images they produce, in order to help users better identify distinct objects more clearly – using colours such as orange, blue, yellow, red, and purple.

Where did thermal imaging originate?

It is unclear the origins of thermal imaging. There have been numerous accounts of thermal imaging by other names from the 1800s but no confirmed inventor. The thermal imaging cameras used today are based on technology that was originally developed for the military. In 1929, Hungarian physicist Kálmán Tihanyi invented the infrared-sensitive (night vision) electronic television camera for anti-aircraft defense in Britain. The first American thermographic cameras developed were infrared line scanners. Thermal imaging in its present form was originally developed for military use during the Korean War.

Where do we use thermal imaging?

Thermal imaging cameras have migrated into other fields and have found many uses. But the one that most people and businesses are interested in at the moment due to the Corona virus (COVID-19) is screening and scanning for temperature measurement, to spot fevers and temperature anomalies. This has proven to be especially important in airports, large populate businesses where these thermal imaging cameras can quickly and accurately scan all incoming or outgoing people for higher temperatures, which is crucial during outbreaks of diseases like Coronavirus (COVID-19) SARS and Ebola. Additionally, thermal imagers have been proven to help diagnose a range of disorders associated with the neck, back, and limbs, as well as circulatory problems.

Other businesses that use thermal scanning and screening are Electrical maintenance, Plumbers, Mechanical and building construction technicians, Animal and Pest management, Transport navigation, firefighters, Police and Science, and research to name a few.

It’s crucial to use a high-quality product to ensure that you detect and record accurate measurements. A big difference between different types of thermal imagers is the resolution and clarity of the images they provide.

Here at Pyrosales, we are proud to offer a wide range of thermal imaging cameras suitable for all kinds of applications, whether they be professional or hobbyist. Our suite of top-range thermal imagers is made by Testo, a globally active, high-tech company with expertise in innovative measurement solutions that are guaranteed to meet your needs.

Thermal scanning and screening is an impressive and compact method of identifying, measuring, and visualising heat patterns, particularly in environments where there’s a lack of visible light. Armed with an effective and high-quality thermal imaging camera, there is a broad range of applications available, from industrial to health to research and science and so much more.