Thermo's new idea, IR camera

[Thermo]

You guys know me, always looking to do something new and different and after my week of training, I have a new "grandiose" idea. It would be easy to install, but the cost will be probably out of the question for a lot. The idea is rather simple, install an infrared camera in the front of the truck and then hook it up to a semi large screen in the dash (7-10" more than likely). The camera I have in mind is:
http://www.flir.com/cvs/cores/uncooled/products/tau/tau640/

From there, all you need is a source of power being fed in via the USB plug and then the other cable feeding the signal to the monitor via a coax connection. Could probably adapt it over to a simple RCA plug too. Get it with a 25mm lens, I'm sure you would be able to see whatever you need to and at 30 FPS video rate, you are not going to miss much. But, this is where the problem in itself lies, the camera (which is only 2x2x2") costs in the neighborhood of about $4000. This price doesn't include the monitors, other wiring, etc. So, not a cheap mod at all. But then, if you wanted to really go high tech, you simply wire up the camera to a CarPC and then you can even change the video output to 1 of 10 different video modes to possibly highlight objects better (white hot, black hot, rainbow, R-G variation, etc).

What can I say, I have expensive tastes. Unfortunately, if I install it, it won't be in the Expy, it will be in my Jag. This system is already available on some high end BMWs, but those are only using the 320x240 version of this camera where you would be running the 640x480 version with what I posted. Oh the ideas.

 

[tallsville]

what about adapting the the handheld IR cameras (fluke) that they use in automotive and homes for heat loss. not sure how much they cost

 

[NewbieVet]

my backup camera claims to be IR lol. In reality it has little IR LEDs so I can see at night. Kinda' neat.

 

[Thermo]

Tallsville, atleast the ones I was playing with start around $2000 and go up from there based on the clarity of image that you are after.

BlackExpy, the one that you have is what is called SWIR (short wave IR). It is good for stuff up close, but more than about 15 feet from the truck and they will blow the big one. They aren't very useful at long ranges unless you get one of the cooled IR detectors, but then you are again up in the high cost stuff.

 

[JDMitchell]

We had those on our MRAPs in Iraq (called a DVE). They worked ok but it was very easy to lose perspective of where you were at. My drivers didn't mind using them and it definitely saved our a$$e$ a couple of times when we spotted EFPs that were holding heat just after sundown.

 

[98EXPY 5-0]

My buddy's Caddy has the Night Vision set up. I haven't seen it in action, but he said it's pretty cool.

Maybe put some high powered IR LEDs into a set of roof mounted lights. Then any digital camera could pick up their light and you'd see it on the monitor. I don't know the effective range of IRLEDs or what it would take to retrofit them into a set of KC Daylighters, but it would be cool. Its basically the same concept as the home made night vision project that uses the old VHS camcorder parts. There is a youtube video on it.

Can you turn your Jag lights off at night, or are they automatic unless the ebrake is pulled? Thats something you'd have to bypass if they are.

 

[tonydiv]

Raymarine has a unit for marine applications that is totally weatherproof.

It would be awesome up on the roof.

http://www.raymarine.com/ProductDetail.aspx?SITE=1&SECTION=2&PAGE=1957&PRODUCT=4349

Of course it costs as much as my truck. but still awesome.

 

[Thermo]

98Expy, the lights on my Jag can function just like any other car (I do have an automatic mode, but I don't like using it). As for the IR LEDs, the problem with them is the limited range that they have and getting an IR light is pretty expensive due to the limited use. Granted, with enough "Thermo" engineering, I'm sure I can make it work. I would just need to do some looking around and see what MCD IR LEDs I could get my hands on. I'm sure I could squeeze say 200-300 LEDs into a 6" light housing. But when you are looking at about 1,000,000 MCD to equal a 1 watt halogen bulb, you need a lot of MCD.

Tony, one of the cameras we got to play with was more than some houses I have been looking at. But then, it was capable of picking up a man size target at a range of 10 miles. Probably overkill for a vehicle, but it would be cool to have.

 

[Remo]

Alright, I'm trying to catch up to you guys on this...what would you use this setup for?

 

[tonydiv]

You could drive through dense fog, snow white outs, just about any adverse situation. Since the Raymarine version pans and tilts, you could use it in search and rescue scenarios.

If you could rig it to display 'heads up' style, it would show pedestrians that you couldn't see with the regular headlights.

Plus it's just plain cool.

Oh, did I mention the prices range between $9,000 and $18,000