Home Inspection Leak and Poor Insulation Detection A home inspection company wants an alternative method of inspection that takes less time, is more precise, less labor intensive, and gives the inspector more ease in accessing all areas of the home. IR camera reveals heat loss from the roof IR camera reveals leak coming from the ceiling An infrared camera can quickly and easily inspect a home by showing small but important differences in surface temperature. The camera allows for non-intrusive inspection. It gives the inspector the ability to see the condition the home by externally scanning it with the camera instead of physically viewing all aspects of the house. The system can be used to detect air duct leaks, insulation problems, the presence of moisture, electrical hot spots, pest infestation, and energy inefficiencies.
Public Transportation Bus Inspection Regular inspection of tire air pressure is necessary to ensure safety, reduce fuel cost, optimize tire life, and driving performance. Buses must do this on a large scale and it can be a strenuous and time consuming task. An infrared camera is used to view the surface temperature of the tires. Tires that are not inflated properly will have varying heat. Additionally, the IR camera can be used to detect defects in the vehicle s brakes. If there is an absence of heat from the vehicle s brake detector when it is stopping, it means the brakes are not working properly. Inspection can be static or dynamic IR camera This system can also be used by the highway patrol to inspect and scan trucks as they are moving along the roads or at weigh stations when they stationary. Infrared image reveals varying temperatures on the tire indicting uneven tire pressure. After tire exposed to 2 hours of driving at speed above 45mph
Satellite with high resolution, megapixel camera captures aerial image of location of RFID tag when signal is received. Livestock Tracking Cow beyond farm s perimeter Keeping track of livestock on a multi-acre farm and maintaining fences using traditional methods of cattle herding and patrolling fence lines is time consuming and laborious. An alternate method is needed that will be precise, instantaneous, and reliable. Cow with RFID tag submits a signal to the satellite at the last point of contact before entering area out of range. Broken fence Aerial image captured by satellite showing last location of missing cow and where fence needs to be repaired. High resolution, megapixel cameras are utilized along with radio frequency identification (RFID) tags. The livestock are injected with RFID tags, which allow the farmer to easily locate the cattle. When a cow moves outside of the RFID s range, a signal is sent out to a satellite which captures a high quality photo of the location of the signal before it is out of range. The image is used to immediately locate areas of the fence which need to be fixed. It can also be used to identify livestock thefts, or animals who may be killing the cows. This system gives the farmer real time surveillance of the livestock and the security of the farm. It is precise and pinpoints the exact area which has been compromised.
Veterinary Medicine Location of Infection / Damage Infections can be highly contagious and are difficult to detect in early stages. There is a need to quickly and easily identify infections in animals before it is spread to other animals or the animal becomes severely ill. IR image of portion of leg scanned by camera An infrared camera is employed to quickly locate areas of infection on the animals. The infrared images reveal hot spots on the animals indicating areas of damage or infection. These areas would appear red. This process of infection/damage detection can be used over the entire animal with no adverse health effects. The camera is non-invasive and is less stressful to the animal. It can be used by veterinarians or by farmers to quickly scan livestock. The infrared camera gives the user the ability to detect infections early, before the animal begins to outwardly exhibit signs of infection. Areas of red indicated high temperature and is a sign of infection
3-D Biopsy of Internal Organs There is an increased demand to optimize surgical outcomes. However, low light and decreased visibility of the operation site during invasive surgery, such as in a biopsy, are major obstacles in accomplishing this goal. 3-D imagery captured by cameras. This is what surgeon see s on console s monitor. Robotic surgical arms Doctor performing surgery using console with embedded computer to control robotic arms Two CCD cameras in 3-D array, an embedded computer with customized software, and robotic arms are used to perform robotic surgery. This method has been turned to as a means to reduce variability caused by human error. Additionally, it allows for surgery to be performed through minimally invasive, 1cm keyhole incisions. The cameras provide: Highly accurate 3-D perception 10X magnification 40X sharper image The surgeon performs the surgery through the use of a console, which is a few feet away from the surgical table. With the camera s magnified 3-D imagery of the operation site, the surgeon is able to view and guide the robotic arms using the console s monitor. This method of surgery causes less trauma to the body, minimizes scarring, and promotes a faster recovery time.
Vegetation Mapping Plant Species Identification Mapping vegetation on continental and global scales has increased due to the growth in global change research in an effort to assess and monitor the condition of the earth s surface. Traditional methods of land surveying are ineffective due to the large amount of time it takes, the high cost, and it being time lagged. Each pixel of the Spectral Cube is composed of continuous, narrow wavelength intervals. Hyperspectral imaging from spaceborne platforms is employed to survey a much larger area in a dramatically shorter period of time cutting cost and speeding up research. This system uses a hyperspectral camera positioned on a satellite to capture images of a particular area of the earth s surface. Thus, creating a spectral cube. The cube is composed of pixels. Each pixel is made up of a sampled spectrum, which can be used to gather information about the materials within it. This is a result of each material having a unique spectral fingerprint. Each type of material has a specific wavelength reflectance providing for a unique spectral signature or fingerprint, which can be used to identify the material. USES FOR SPECTRAL INFORMATION: Identify the material Quantify the abundance of a certain material Characterize the material, which finds the variability of the material (wet/dry, size, etc.) Detect the occurrence of materials, objects, activities, or events. Classify the materials into similar spectral categories. Spectral Cube gathers data of a particular spatial location