Development and Analysis of a Thermal Tracking System

Abstract:

A design is presented for the manufacture of a two-axle rotational platform equipped with a thermal camera, allowing the camera to track hot targets. The platform features a position adjustment mechanism to shift the focus of the thermal camera to match the platforms rotational center. In addition, a control system was developed using Visual Basic to integrate the cameras Software Development Kit (SDK), was developed to display real-time thermal images and to control the platform based on a hot target in the thermal image, thus achieving thermal tracking. Position experiments for the thermal camera showed that cameras focus is can be maintained close to the platforms rotational center by placing the cameras reference surface 2 cm in front of the rotational centers surface. Accuracy experiments were conducted to measure angle errors of the two-axle platform, with results showing maximum horizontal and elevatory rotation errors of 0.0375° and 0.025°, respectively.

• Periodical: Applied Mechanics and Materials (Volume 364)
• Pages: 401-405
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMM.364.401
• Online since: August 2013
• Authors: Cheng Chang Lien, Wei Ting Liu, Jeng Liang Lin
• Keywords: Thermal Camera, Thermal Tracking, Two-Axle Rotational Platform

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