A hand held thermal imager employing a staring array of pyroelectric detectors

A hand held thermal imager has been designed and built, using a staring array of uncooled pyroelectric detectors. The prototype imager is configured in three separate units; a sensor head, an electronic processing unit and a battery box. The equipment may be used in field assessment situations, the sensor head being carried in the hand with the other two units deployed in a carrying pouch. The authors outline the design of the imager, discuss its performance and review the prospect for future developments