Ultra-Low Resolution Thermal Imaging Sensors

Ultra-Low Resolution Thermal Imaging Sensors

  It is widely recognized that there is a growing need for the use of technology to enable elderly people to go on living in their own homes for as long as possible. If such systems are to be deployed on a large scale it is important that both equipment and installation costs should be kept as low as possible. This paper describes the use of a very low cost 8 pixel infra-red sensor array in two very distinct applications. In the first it is used as a generic person detector, which can not only identify which room a person is in, but can provide information about where in the room they are located. The second application is for detecting thermal hazards in the kitchen, and especially identifying if cooking has been left unattended - a major cause of domestic fires. It is apparent that a simple sensor such as this is capable of providing a wide range of useful information in a smart or caring home.