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FLIR Micron A10 160 x 120 hiding in ‘disguise’ bought for $100 :)

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Fraser:
This is a bit of a teaser post just for fun, but it may also benefit anyone wishing to buy a very nice compact thermal camera (cased core really) at a relatively low cost. The camera is commonly available in 160 x 120 pixel resolution but 320 x 240 is also available in the same disguise :)

So where did I find a 160 x 120 pixel FLIR Micron A10 for only $100 ?

Well that is the tease...... I will reveal all as and when I get time today to post pictures and more detail.
The good news is that these disguised cameras are in plentiful supply but you have to be lucky to get one for only $100 others have sold for $140 but some go for higher prices around $400?

I bought a disguised Micron A10 knowing full well what I was getting. I am fortunate to have inside knowledge on this matter but have decided to share it here to help others.

Watch this space.........  :)

https://www.photonics.com/Products/Tiny_ThermoVision_A10/pr19556

Fraser:
OK, the tease continues   ;D .... next installment.....

So what is the FLIR Micron A10 and is it special in any way ?

Well the U.S. Military certainly seem to have liked it  ;D

The FLIR Micron A10 is actually the Indigo OMEGA that FLIR renamed after their acquisition of Indigo.
It is a very capable compact thermal imaging camera that uses a VOx microbolometer and offers the user impressive imaging even in its 160 x 120 pixel form. A 320 x 240 pixel version was produced as well.

What is the history of this diminutive little thermal camera from the early Millenium years ?
The Indigo Omega was a development progression from the Indigo ALPHA that directly preceded it. The improvement upon the ALPHA design is significant in all areas. The OMEGA is smaller, lighter, lower power consumption and produces superior imagery. What is not to like ? The military were quick to test the Indigo OMEGA with a view to mounting it on aerial platforms and infantry weapon sights. The small size and low weight made the OMEGA a prime candidate for such applications. This statement might also be of interest to modern drone pilots as the OMEGA remains a possible payload for such applications despite its age.

The military tested the OMEGA to destruction and it performed well. They even strapped the poor camera to a rifle launched projectile ! The acceleration and impact tests revealed a weakness in the lens element construction.

The OMEGA was such a successful camera core that it lead to the development of its successor, the Indigo PHOTON.  In some respects the PHOTON appears a retrograde step as it is actually a larger camera than the OMEGA ! There were improvements in image quality on the PHOTON however. The PHOTON lead to the development of the smaller and lighter FLIR TAU series and that remains a current and very capable camera core to this day in its TAU 2 revision. These well designed and high performing compact thermal imaging cores are the darlings of thermal imaging system designers around the world. They are compact and easily integrated into a manufacturers product, be it a thermal camera or part of a surveillance/weapons system. Most of the hard work is already done for the designer, they just need to provide power and a display in the cores simplest mode of operation (power in, video out). Control of the cores extended functionality may be via pre-programmed pin inputs or a serial communications link from a small controller that sends instruction strings to the core. The options on the cores, including the OMEGA provide most functions that a designer might desire, including radiometric temperature measurement. Remember, these cores were designed with the military in mind as a customer, so they were deliberately made to be versatile in their application and deployment  ;)

I have previously come across the OMEGA core in another 'disguise'. It was a specialist law enforcement 'Bullet' Camera used to carry out surveillance and evidence capture on buildings that were growing certain illegal 'weeds' ! The OMEGA was small enough to be used in a relatively covert manner. That cameras story is to be found here:

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/thermal-imaging/todays-mystery-camera-by-fraser/

I will add some relevant pictures to this Post and the OMEGA User manual in a separate post.

Fraser

Fraser:
Omega/Micron A10 related documents.......

Fraser:
I have decided to do a reverse teardown on the source of the diminutive OMEGA/Micron A10 core just to add some fun to the thread  ;D

Are we having fun yet ? ;D

First a picture of the OMEGA core after it was extracted from its disguise........

More pictures and commentary later  ;)

Fraser

CJay:
Curse you Fraser, all these interesting threads, I could probably have resisted but  I had opportunity to play with a FLIR equipped CAT mobile phone today and I *WANT* one now.

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