FLIR Systems, Inc. has announced the release of the new FLIR Lepton thermal imaging camera core. Lepton utilizes innovative technology, high volume manufacturing techniques, and commercial scale to deliver a price point that is an order of magnitude below current thermal camera cores.
Similar in size, weight, and power consumption to a conventional CMOS cell phone camera module, Lepton is the world’s smallest microbolometer-based thermal imaging camera core currently available. FLIR will utilize Lepton in new and existing products across many vertical markets. The first commercial use of Lepton is in the new FLIR ONETM thermal imaging smartphone accessory introduced today at CES 2014. Lepton has also been designed for easy integration into third party products, such as smartphones, tablets, diagnostic tools, automobiles, toys, building controls, process equipment, security systems, machine vision systems, and advanced gaming devices. OEMs around the world can benefit from the fully-exportable Lepton core, which generates high-quality, fully-processed thermal images through common standard interfaces.
Lepton utilizes multiple proprietary technologies, including wafer level detector packaging, wafer level micro-optics, and a custom integrated circuit that supports all camera functions on a single integrated low power chip. These and other innovations are reflected in more than 100 new patent filings worldwide related to Lepton technologies, processes, and applications. The new Lepton core facilitates accurate temperature measurements and is fully compatible with FLIR’s patented Multi-Spectral Dynamic Imaging technology, or MSX, which significantly enhances the thermal image fidelity with data from a visible-light sensor.
“FLIR is committed to the development of lower cost, user friendly thermal sensing technologies to enhance vision and measurement beyond light. Lepton represents our latest, most dramatic step toward our vision of becoming ‘the world’s sixth sense’TM,” said Andy Teich, President and CEO of FLIR. “Not only will Lepton support an array of new imaging applications, but its revolutionary price, size, and low power consumption will open new markets for the useful information and data that thermal technology provides.”