Sam Oliver
Thermal imaging company Flir has announced that pre-orders for its new One iPhone case — which will let outdoorsmen, HVAC contractors, and people who simply like to see how hot things are convert their iPhone 5 or 5s into a thermal camera — will begin Wednesday, with the device coming to Apple retail stores in August.
The Flir One will offer users the ability to view live infrared imagery when paired with a companion app, and the company imagines a variety of uses for the accessory, ranging from home improvement to security. Flir hopes the One's relatively modest $349.99 price tag — a significant discount from the company's other cameras, which can run into the tens of thousands of dollars — will inspire even more creative applications.
"Based on technology that was formerly reserved for the military, Flir One is the first in a new generation of affordable thermal imaging devices designed to inspire imaginative and innovative uses by consumers," Flir Chief Executive Andy Teich said in a release. "This represents a revolutionary step forward for both Flir Systems and thermal imaging."
Homeowners could use the Flir One to find and fix air leaks to make their home more energy efficient without needing to hire outside contractors, for instance, or campers could use the camera to observe nocturnal creatures. The Flir app also allows for the creation of time-lapse and panoramic thermal images.
Flir will begin accepting pre-orders in the U.S. on July 23 at 9 a.m. Eastern Time at flir.com//flirone. The camera will make its way to Europe as well as Apple retail outlets in the U.S. and Canada in August.
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32 Comments
Been waiting for this to come out when they announced it last year. Will be picking one up for sure. For automotive/racing use they are fantastic. I just couldn't justify spending a couple thousand for one.
Won't this just make everything look like a ghost or Sasquatch?
I use to use Flir products for a long time, I first used and IR system for finding hit spots on electronics back in the 1980's it was made by Huges, then I move to Flir, their systems was the better because of the software, they have really good real time and post processing capabilities.
It is amazing what they can cram into a small package. They use to require LN2 to keep the detector cool, then a cyro-pump. The IR sensors must have gotten so go they the can work at room temperatures.
I wonder how much memory the program uses on an iphone.
Here's what I have to say about this... Shut up and take my money!
It's actually an ultra-low end thermal camera. 80x60 pixels. Normal low-end cameras are 160x128 and commercial ones go as high as 640x480. The normal mode for this camera is to enhance the resolution by overlaying a visible image onto the thermal one.