Thermal imaging

There's now a UK vendor for the FLIRone range of thermal-imaging cameras for smartphones and tablets:

The original one for iPhone 5/5s - £116.65 + VAT
www.acutestdirect.co.uk/product.aspx?ProductCategoryID=19153

New versions that plug into other iPhones/iPads and Android phones

iPad/iPhone with lightning connector - £166.63 + VAT
www.acutestdirect.co.uk/product.aspx?ProductCategoryID=22562

Android (not available yet) £166.63 + VAT
www.acutestdirect.co.uk/product.aspx?ProductCategoryID=22563

I think all three incorporate two cameras, one for visible light and one for thermal imaging, so that the thermal colours are overlaid on a higher-resolution image. I'd love to have a play, but I'd need the more expensive model and it's a bit outside my "play with technology" budget.

More playing with technology

Having resisted the siren call of thermal imaging I decided to take a look at my other science posts, noticed this one from 2013:

http://ffutures.livejournal.com/1003932.html

describing the TI Sensortag, a cheap Bluetooth sensing device that might be interesting for school science etc. and comes with free software for Android and iPad / iPhone. I wondered what, if anything, had happened to the technology.

It turns out that what has happened is that they've apparently made it better. The processor is ten times faster, and there are more sensors. The original gizmo included an accelerometer, magnetometer, gyroscope, barometer, hygrometer, and infra-red thermometer. The new version has ambient light, digital microphone, magnetic sensor, humidity, pressure, accelerometer, gyroscope, magnetometer, object temperature and ambient temperature. .

Since it works out at £24 quid including delivery and VAT I've decided to buy one to play with - not sure I really need it, but if not I'll sell it on. Ought to be here in the next day or two, I'll post when I've tried it out.

http://www.ti.com/ww/en/wireless_connectivity/sensortag2015/?INTC=SensorTag&HQS=sensortag