Thermography is the process of detecting and measuring an object's thermal energy. Even cold objects can be measured with thermography as it measures infrared energy. Infrared cameras and other infrared measuring systems can be used for thermography. This process has several uses in military, industrial and medical applications.
How It Works
All objects emit heat. This heat--thermal energy--is not visible to the human eye because of its short wavelength and thus needs to be measured under the infrared spectrum. The process of thermography measures this heat with infrared cameras and presents the picture of the heat being emitted. This information can also be stored via computer.
Uses Overview
Thermography is used in many commercial, military, industrial and medical projects. The applications it can be used for include research and development, preventative maintenance and diagnostics. By measuring an object's heat, thermographers can detect anomalies and take possible corrective actions.
Industrial Uses
Thermography has many industrial uses. It can be used to accurately measure if electrical or mechanical operations are within normal temperature ranges. By doing so, manufacturers can prevent costly repairs and potential downtime. As such, it can improve manufacturing efficiencies. It can also manage energy through heat loss analysis, improve product quality by checking on a product's integrity and enhance worker safety through environmental impact surveys.
Medical Uses
Thermography is used in the medical field to evaluate patients with chronic pain, particularly in the fields of rheumatology, neurology, oncology, physiotherapy and sports medicine. According to medical experts, a difference in one degree Celsius--the measurement used in thermography--can be significant. Computers and thermal-imaging cameras process a body's heat, presents it on an image map to be analyzed by doctors. Abnormal hot and cold areas could signal tumors, disorders and diseases.
Veterinary Uses
Like in medicine, thermography is used in the veterinary field to determine structural changes in an animal. One example is for determining lameness. Thermography equipment measures minute changes in the animal's skin to see if certain patches emit more heat. Injured areas emit greater heat. Nerve injuries, disease and other injuries can affect blood flow, which can be reflected through thermography.
Tags: changes animal, industrial medical, measuring object, military industrial, military industrial medical
