"The firmware should be good to go"... So that means they have images coming from the sensor right? So why the hell have they not posted any?!? [Don't answer, I already know ]
The chef emerges from the kitchen to address the staving diners who have been waiting 3 hours for their meal, and speaketh...
"Don't worry folks, we have managed to get the texture of the glaze on the dessert fruit cup we're serving for dessert just perfect, you will really enjoy it!"
but the diners just want their damn fish and chips main course!
Hi,
I would be interested to see an image of circuit board to determine the usefulness for electronics. The ability to focus at 4 to 6 inches is required.
Some thing like these images:
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/crowd-funded-projects/m-thermal-imager-real-or-fake/msg232013/#msg232013
Many thanks !!
Jay_Diddy_B
The accuracy of the image geometry will suffer when compared to the Inframetrics lens
Out of interest, what would be the cost, for example, for 160x120 vs 80x60? Could it be an optional extra without costing too much extra?
Another aspect are peripherals. Just because a micro-controller has a built in USB peripheral doesn't mean it's free. Embedded USB libraries tend to consume at least 25% of the processor resources to implement. A micro-controller is a bad choice for this project in my opinion.
If USB is what is desired, then only the "USB daughter board" will have the USB components.
Another aspect are peripherals. Just because a micro-controller has a built in USB peripheral doesn't mean it's free. Embedded USB libraries tend to consume at least 25% of the processor resources to implement. A micro-controller is a bad choice for this project in my opinion.Microcontroller as opposed to what? CPLD/FPGA?
Not sure about others but some of the NXP Cortex ARM parts have a lot of the USB stuff in internal ROM.QuoteIf USB is what is desired, then only the "USB daughter board" will have the USB components.So how are you going to handle charging (assuming you're intending a standalone unit with battery) ?
A USB connector isn't going to cost a lot different to any other power connector. Or are you looking at Alkalines ?
Not sure what the USB "stuff" is that you are referencing but you mentioned ROM, which means on boot that code has to load into somewhere
We use Blackfin DSPs and Microsemi FPGAs here.
Remember 80x60x30fps is only 144kbytes/sec,and 4.8Kpixels, which is well within the capability of <<$5 microcontrollers to handle these days. If you need DSP there are chips like the dsPIC and ST Cortex parts with DSP instructions.
There will be stuff like fixed pattern offset/gain correction and shutter calibration, maybe some linearizing? - I suspect some of this may need cal data from a factory calibration process for each sensor, so it would make sense for the sensor system to integrate all this to provide clean image data.
Optional access to the raw data may be useful/interesting to some people, but that's just a case of bypassing the processing.
Thermalguy - I think a lot of people would be interested to learn what steps are involved in processing the raw data from the bolometer to produce a thermal image, and how complex it is to drive the sensor - what sort of waveforms, voltages are involved etc.
There will be stuff like fixed pattern offset/gain correction and shutter calibration, maybe some linearizing? - I suspect some of this may need cal data from a factory calibration process for each sensor, so it would make sense for the sensor system to integrate all this to provide clean image data.
Optional access to the raw data may be useful/interesting to some people, but that's just a case of bypassing the processing.
Thermalguy - I think a lot of people would be interested to learn what steps are involved in processing the raw data from the bolometer to produce a thermal image, and how complex it is to drive the sensor - what sort of waveforms, voltages are involved etc.
Cal data can be handled with a factory programmed SPI flash (or just on the on board MCU flash, really, how big can it get?) easily IMO, so some means of reading that from USB will be all it takes.
Strictly speaking you don't even need to agonize over the USB implementation, just get a MCU with fast UART, the TI 28335 I use at work tops out at 4.7MBaud and the chip has three of them. Pair that up with say the FT2232 dual ch USB to UART and you got at least 9.4MBaud of throughput at hand.
...
(Keep in mind that at FLIR headquarters, someone is very angry right now.)
My guess is that they don't give a damn
My guess is that they don't give a damn
They shouldn't.
Anyone could have found out that info by taking them apart. And as Steve said, obvious when you look at the specs.
...
And I would take apart a $2000 thermal camera You think I can afford one of those?
But corporations work different. Often it is not about logic and facts. I have often seen managers making a mountain out of a molehill. More than once I had the impression they were doing it to underline their own importance and prove the reason for their existence (while they were just parasites) . And they focused on the particular subject, because it was the only one they thought they understood (but didn't).
Here are some secret details about the FLIR i-series that nobody will EVER tell you without charging you $10,000 for a censored reverse costing report:
It runs Windows CE Core5.0. A notoriously easy to hack Windows distro (or so blackhat.com says).
Every single camera in the i-series has a 320x240 detector that is cropped, in software, to either 140x140, 100x100, or 80x80.
Assuming you're a good hacker, you could probably get access to all that 320x240.
Displaying it on that sh!tty LCD screen would be a problem, and the camera also can't record video. But I bet someone could hack up a video output from some stray traces on the PCB.
This raises another question: how much do 320x240 detectors cost FLIR to make? Not much more than 320x240 CCDs cost, but they like jacking up prices.
Who says I'm manufacturing anything? Here's the main component list, for anyone interested (mikeselectricstuff, I'm looking at you)