IR Viewer

Just another gimmick IMHO. The question is will it cause a consumer to decide to call me? If so then it would be a good gimmick. But again IMHO I don’t see consumers being impacted 9one way or another n my market. I emphasize IR on my website and so far the static pictures seem enough. Given that other inspectors in the area aren’t pushing IR at all.

I could do most anything with a website but find that the real key to a successful site is focusing on SEO and not getting hung up on gimmicks.

Just my thoughts.

Don

Dominic,

I will not be able to accomplish this technique until we start getting cold weather. I need adequate Delta T for great IR images.

I can turn on my personal central A/C and try it, but the defects won’t stand out as good as the ones I can obtain on the road.

Anyone have any bright ideas?

I should be able to create the source images using the same method that I use to create “fusion” style images with my current setup (my EX 320 does not do fusion). I just need to take a little more care and perhaps use a tripod.

Here’s the fundamental process:

  1. Capture the infrared image being careful to capture a couple static reference marks (e.g., HVAC registers, corners, light fixtures, etc.) to aid in registering the IR image to the VB image. Also being careful to hold the imager level. Use the laser to ID the center of the image;
  2. Capture a VB image of the same spot with the digital camera. I do this with the camera set at high resolution and wide angle. I do not try to duplicate the focal length of the IR camera (it’s much easier to do this with software). The digital image will be much wider field, much higher resolution but must be taken from the same spot and lens height as the IR camera;
  3. Using FLIR Quick Report, tune the IR image. This will increase the image resolution from 320x240 (my imager) to 640x480 (I assume it’s interpolated);
  4. Open the VB image in image editing software, I use PaintShop Pro, but I’m sure Photoshop can do everything necessary. Correct any tilt discrepancies in the VB image so that it matches the IR image for level;
  5. Resize the VB image so that the reference points on the IR image match the same points on the VB image (this will correct for differences in the focal distance). This requires some trial and error. For my cameras, I resize the wide angle VB image to somewhere between 55-60% of the original;
  6. Paste the IR image over the VB image as a separate layer and adjust position so that it is properly indexed over the VB image (i.e., all of your reference points line up in both images). This may be easier if you make the IR layer semi-transparent while you do this. The IR image will only cover a portion of the VB image as the VB image still has a wider field of view and overall resolution;
  7. Once the images are properly registered with each other, crop the image to the size of the IR layer (640x480 in my case), discarding the excess area of the VB layer. This leaves you with a single, two layered image (VB and IR) with both layers showing the same composition, resolution and apparent focal length;
  8. Split the two layers into separate single layer images and save them individually. This should give separate matching VB and IR images that you can use for the see-through effect but now using a real IR image.

I know this sounds complicated, but it’s not really that difficult, if you are only working a few images.

Chuck, if you could get me a few good, lined up images I’d appreciate it. That’s the hardest part.

Chuck,

I’m looking forward to your results…

I have an IR inspection today. I’ll see what I can come up with. It’s new construction, so there may not be any dramatic pictures.

I’ll put a few different ones together and see what we can create.

First attempt: Here are a couple of matched VB and IR images of an electrical panel to experiment with. There are no special thermal anomalies in these, but they should be good for experimenting with a see-through style IR viewer.

Go for it Dominic…:D:D:D

Thanks Chuck, good line ups. I’m going to play with this over the next week or two and see what I can come up with!

Dominic,

Have you found time to determine if you can design a similar IR Viewer for websites. I’d pay to have one of these on my IR website.

check this one out. It takes ahwile to load, click the red/green circle and watch the magic happen. Check out the cat in the digital image, it is gone in infrared, hehe.

JJ

Dominic check this one out.

this was done in google sketch up (free program), and from what I heard it is pretty easy to do.

JJ

Yeah that wouldn’t be too hard as they just used IR images for the walls. Doesn’t look too accurate of a depiction though.

I guess not.