Real-time thermal imaging now available on a desktop PC

Citation

(1998), "Real-time thermal imaging now available on a desktop PC", Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, Vol. 70 No. 4. https://doi.org/10.1108/aeat.1998.12770daf.004

Real-time thermal imaging now available on a desktop PC

Real-time thermal imaging now available on a desktop PC

Keywords AGEMA, Software, Thermal imaging

Building on its PC-based "IRwin Research" infrared imaging system, AGEMA has now introduced a real-time system for applications which require detailed thermal analysis of highly dynamic objects or those which are experiencing rapid changes in surface temperature.

Called Tracer Plus, it is thought that the new system will prove particularly interesting to organisations in the aerospace and defence industries. Typical applications include thermal monitoring of jet engines to determine their optimal performance, or wind tunnel tests on aircraft structures to identify the best composition of materials. The system may be used on an ad hoc basis as part of a research and development programme, or as a test system within the quality assurance function. Tracer Plus could also be used as an in-service tool to monitor the ongoing performance of aircraft already in operation.

Tracer Plus comprises a 300MHz Pentium II PC with built-in digital frame grabber, a Matrox Millenium II video card, two SCSI hard disks and a parallel interface which connects the PC to an infrared camera. By using industry standard components, AGEMA has ensured that customers can maximise their investment in a system, which can be used for other applications as well as thermal monitoring and analysis.

Running as an application under Windows NT, the system software provides full control of the infrared camera from the PC, offers a wide choice of image display, acquisition and retrieval options, and features a comprehensive range of analysis functions. A "slider bar" function is particularly useful for identifying images within long sequences (potentially up to 14 minutes long), especially if the operator wishes to edit out unwanted sections to save further space on the computer's hard disk.

Full Windows compatibility ensures that users can link thermal data and analysis results to other Windows-based applications ­ an important requirement for those companies, which often standardise on a small number of software packages. Alternatively, the program can be embedded into these applications, giving them full control of the thermal data. Macros may also be used to customise the program for a particular application.

Providing further flexibility, images may be saved in a variety of file formats including the industry standard Bitmap and MATLAB formats used for graphics and data analysis respectively.

Customers can choose from any of three series of infrared cameras, each optimised for a different application or budget. The AGEMA 500 FPA systems provide extremely high resolution images and are ideal for much of the detailed inspection required in quality assurance testing. The AGEMA 900 systems, on the other hand, feature many filter and lens accessories that are often useful in special applications. The AGEMA 1000 cameras are ideally suited to long distance surveillance and, as such, are particularly useful for "in-flight" testing of aircraft.

AGEMA is also offering a low-cost alternative to Tracer Plus which offers similar functionality, but features a reduced image storage rate for applications which do not require the full-speed data capture. Called IRwin Research, it utilises slightly different system hardware and runs on the Windows 95 platform.

Further details can be obtained from AGEMA Infrared Systems. Tel: +44 (0) 1525 375660; Fax: +44 (0) 1525 379271; E-mail: AGEMAUK@.compuserve.com; Website: http://www.agema.com