This section provides an overview for near infrared (nir) cameras as well as their applications and principles. Also, please take a look at the list of 10 near infrared (nir) camera manufacturers and their company rankings.
Table of Contents
Near-infrared radiation is a type of electromagnetic radiation with infrared wavelengths in the 700m to 2500nm wavelength range, which is longer than visible light that can be seen by the human eye and is therefore invisible to the naked eye.
Near-infrared cameras can capture light in the infrared wavelength range that cannot be projected by ordinary cameras, so they can be used in environments with low light levels.
Since objects reflect and absorb light in different ways depending on their composition, the near-infrared camera can be used to make light invisible to the human eye visible by taking advantage of these differences in transmission characteristics.
Here are some of the uses of near-infrared cameras.
Near-infrared cameras are used for surveillance, inspection, and observation because they can capture near-infrared light that cannot be seen by the human eye.
Subjects vary widely, ranging from pharmaceuticals and electronic components to agricultural products and foodstuffs.
Specifically, they are used to determine the freshness of agricultural products, to inspect food for foreign substances, to analyze the composition of pharmaceuticals, and to analyze the moisture content of the skin, etc. Further expansion of the application areas is expected in the future.
Near-infrared rays are infrared rays with wavelengths longer than those of visible light and shorter than those of radio waves, and are a safe light that does not affect the human body or food. It does not exhibit color or heat characteristics, but it is the light that is most easily absorbed by objects.
The principle of a near-infrared camera is based on the fact that different substances reflect and absorb light in different ways, so that different substances can be visualized by emphasizing the contrast between the different wavelengths of light.
When light containing near-infrared rays is projected onto a subject, differences in the reflection and absorption of light by different materials appear in the image as characteristics, which are visualized by projecting them.
Infrared cameras can visualize different ranges depending on their wavelengths.
Near infrared (NIR) cameras can visualize wavelengths from 0.7 to 0.8 μm, while far infrared (FIR) cameras can visualize wavelengths from 4.0 to 1000 μm.
The objects to be inspected by the near infrared (NIR) camera and the far infrared (FIR) camera are also different.
Near infrared (NIR) cameras are used to inspect defective products such as food, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics, while far infrared (FIR) cameras are used to detect people and moving objects in dark areas for security purposes and driving assistance in cars.
Far-infrared cameras can detect almost anything that emits heat, so no matter how dark it is, as long as there is a temperature difference between the subject and the background, it can be observed. However, during the daytime, there are objects everywhere that emit heat, so any object that is not the object of inspection will be observed as noise.
Near infrared (NIR) cameras cannot detect objects that emit heat themselves. Most of them are observed under sunlight during the daytime using reflected light from lighting fixtures. It is relatively easy to reduce noise with a near infrared (NIR) camera. The areas that reflect excessively can be improved by covering them with a non-reflective black cloth.
Near-infrared light is a type of electromagnetic wave, so it cannot be seen by the naked human eye. However, when a near infrared (NIR) camera is used to capture images of objects that are difficult to distinguish under visible light, it is possible to distinguish objects that would normally be difficult to distinguish.
For example, salt, sugar, and seasonings are almost indistinguishable under visible light, but when photographed with a 1.5 μm near infrared (NIR) camera, they can be distinguished from each other. This is because the IR absorbance of the three types of powders is almost the same under visible light, whereas they are different under near-infrared light. Salt has an absorptivity of about 1.1 μm, while sugar has an absorptivity of about 1.3 μm and seasonings have an absorptivity of about 1.5 μm in infrared light. Therefore, a near infrared (NIR) camera at 1.5μm can distinguish the three types of powders.
*Including some distributors, etc.
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Ranking as of March 2023 Globally
Derivation MethodRank | Company | Click Share |
---|---|---|
1 | HGH Infrared Systems | 11.8% |
2 | SmartMore Corporation Limited | 11.8% |
3 | Alkeria Srl | 11.8% |
4 | Spectral Devices Inc. | 11.8% |
5 | XIMEA GmbH | 11.8% |
6 | AMETEK Land | 11.8% |
7 | NET | 11.8% |
8 | Shandong Sheenrun Optics Electronics Co., Ltd | 5.9% |
9 | Allied Vision Technologies | 5.9% |
10 | Oxford Instruments | 5.9% |
Derivation Method
The ranking is calculated based on the click share within the near infrared (nir) camera page as of March 2023. Click share is defined as the total number of clicks for all companies during the period divided by the number of clicks for each company.Number of Employees
Newly Established Company
Company with a History
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