I have to admit that FLIR's marketing policy on the Lepton cores mystifies me.
They have developed a very capable (for its size and cost) thermal imaging core. It has the potential to find its way into many useful products and systems which you would think FLIR would want to facilitate.
What I have seen though, is significant reservation on the part of FLIR to release the cores onto the market in a manner that makes them a popular sensor. Let me expand on that comment though.... some bullet points...
1. The Lepton was/is only available through a few specific third party component suppliers.
2. The cores appear to be limited to <9fps even when sold within the USA. >9fps cores are to be found in finished products as we know.
3. Many products from FLIR and 3rd parties limited themselves to the lower resolution Lepton 2 that is unlikely to impress the retail market. Why did they not use the better 160 x 120 pixel Lepton 3 when it became available ?
4. The Lepton core may be capable of decent imaging yet FLIR appear unwilling to release its full imaging potential in the software they use with it. The F1G2 and F1G3 phone applications are prime examples.
5. FLIR do not, as far as I can tell, produce a Lepton Demo or Development board. They only provide a breakout board. I find this particularly surprising as FLIR did produce a marketing gimmick in the form of a demo camera for trade shows etc. I am used to companies producing a development or evaluation board for their front line products that they wish OEM's to adopt. FLIR obviously think differently
6. The Lepton is supplied as a complete core with lens and FLIR do not offer a lensless version for OEM's to marry up to their preferrred optical block. If you think about Visible light PCB cameras, they come as the bare bones PCB with imaging chip mounted but no lens holder, PCB with lens holder mounted (M12 or C mount) or the complete PCB camera with lens fitted of your choice. Why FLIR do not wish to follow this well trodden path I do not know. The Lepton is hampered by its relatively basic silicon doublet optics.
7. There is no official PC support for the Lepton core ..... no reason given. Crazy, plain crazy. Windows and Linux users would love such an option in order to develop amazing products. FLIR prefers to leave any and all such PC connectivity development to 3rd parties.
8. FLIR do offer an SDK for the Lepton, but from what I have heard, it is somewhat 'lacking'
So from the above bullet points I am left feeling underwhelmed by the Lepton core. It is almost as though FLIR created a great product and is either too scared that it will damage other camera sales or truthfully do not know what to do with it ! An unusual situation. I would have hoped that FLIR would sort out their production issues during the F1G2 release and then move to mass production of the Lepton 160 x 120 core with a view to placing it in any market that could potentially have a use for such technology. It should be made as common as the low resolution pyrielectric sensors used in PIR sensors or at least the Panasonic and Melexis sensors.
There is, of course, the possibility that the profit margins on Lepton production are so poor that FLIR does not really want to sell the cores on their own and would rather incorporate them into more expensive products to increase the profit margin ? We know a retail Lepton core costs almost as much as a FLIR One Gen 2 so OEM's would want significant discounting in order to incorporate such a core into their designs. All conjecture of course.
Fraser