Thermal Cameras 101

A thermal camera—sometimes referred to as a thermal imager—is a camera that is capable of recognizing an object in a scene based on the heat that the object radiates. Thermal cameras differ from infrared—or night vision—cameras in that thermal cameras are capable of functioning both with and without a light source whereas infrared cameras can only function properly in scenarios with little to no light. This distinction is important because infrared cameras are far more limited in their utility while thermal cameras can be deployed in virtually any environment and provide accurate images and videos. 

Thermal cameras capture images by detecting the heat signature emitted by objects within the camera’s field of view. This heat signature is known as thermal energy. Every object emits some level of thermal energy, and the higher the temperature of an object, the greater the amount of thermal energy that is emitted. Some objects, such as humans or animals, generate their own thermal energy through body temperature, whereas other objects, such as buildings, rocks, or foliage, absorb heat from their surroundings and that heat is emitted from the objects as thermal energy.

Traditionally, thermal cameras have been deployed to detect perimeter breaches or in low-light scenarios to ensure that all objects are captured by the camera regardless of the amount of light available. Today however, many thermal cameras in the industry are considered “dual-spectrum” cameras capable of capturing both visible spectrum and thermal spectrum images making them powerful solutions for a video surveillance system with the ability to record accurate video 24-hours a day, with or without light. 

With the rise of the COVID-19 pandemic, Eagle Eye Networks has leveraged thermal cameras to detect elevated body temperatures in humans to an accuracy of +/- 0.7 degrees Fahrenheit of measurements taken with a thermometer. Now, by integrating thermal cameras with the Eagle Eye Cloud Managed VMS, companies can utilize their existing video surveillance cameras to protect the health and safety of their staff by monitoring individuals for elevated temperatures before the individual enters the building. 

The Eagle Eye Cloud VMS integrates with three specific aspects of thermal cameras:

• The visible spectrum video stream
• The thermal spectrum video stream
• The temperature data for each subject captured

These are three independent data sources, that when combined can be powerful resources for reporting and alerting. Alert thresholds can be configured, and admin can create distribution lists for people to notify if a temperature exceeds that threshold. In other words, if there is an individual with a body temperature of 100 degrees Fahrenheit, a notification can be generated. This alert could be an email or a push notification to their cell phone or tablet.

Reports can also be generated to show a count of the total number of subjects screened, and how many were above and below the temperature threshold. Additionally, authorized users can view the video of the temperature readings that generated the alerts.

The Eagle Eye Cloud Managed VMS will record the video streams from the thermal cameras, securely store for the recorded video for a duration ranging from 7 days up to 5 years, depending on the situation. Furthermore, parts of the video, or “clips,” may be archived for a longer duration and easily shared with third parties.

Increase the safety of your customers and employees by deploying thermal cameras with Eagle Eye Cloud VMS to pre-screen for elevated temperatures as they enter the premises. Contact us today to learn more about the compatibility of thermal cameras for elevated temperature detection with your video surveillance solution.