CES 2014: FLIR Thermal Imaging, Get Your Amateur Mythbuster On

aNewDomain.net — Time to get your amateur mythbuster on.

Photo Credit: Mike Olsen

Thermal imaging company FLIR took to CES 2014 to unveil FLIR One, a personal thermal camera accessory for the iPhone 5 and 5S. Similar in look and feel to a battery pack, the single unit contains two cameras, one thermal and the other visible, as well as a battery to power the device for over four hours.

The associated app will capture both video and images and save them to the iPhone photo gallery. It includes several palettes to choose from that allow different visual representations of a heat signature. The spot meter function captures temperature readings. (For a video explainer on the FLIR ONE, check out my colleague Todd Townsend’s aNewDomainTV video here — or scroll below.)

FLIR CEO and president Andy Teich envisions several consumer uses, such as finding insulation voids, for the device.

“It sees moisture very well so you can see moisture or mold in a home setting,” said Teich. “Other applications include the ability to see in total darkness, so it could be used for looking for an intruder outside your home, or looking for a lost pet. You have the ability to look through obscurances like smoke and fog.”

According to Teich, the company faced several engineering challenges developing an affordable, consumer-friendly device. “In order to do this we had to reduce the cost of the core technology by an order of magnitude.”

The 3.2-ounce device has a scene temperature range between 32°F and 113°F, and it can detect temperature differences as small as 0.18°F. It is designed for the iPhone 5/5s and requires iOS7. An Android version is in development.

The $349 device ships this spring. Pre-registration is open now at http://flir.com/flirone/.

Based in Ann Arbor Michigan, Mike Olsen is a tech enthusiast, freelance writer and a senior contributor to aNewDoman.net. Follow his stream on Google+ and email him at MikeO@aNewDomain.net.

Here’s Todd Townsend’s video for aNewDomainTV and aNewDomain.net, below.

Video: Todd Townsend for aNewDomain/producer Justin Webb for aNewDomainTV