Applications

There are two primary types of environmental investigations that are driving the development of DIY thermal imaging tools and methods: a "heat-busters" program in East Harlem, and a near-forensic-level water quality monitoring program in the Gowanus Canal.

Approaches

There are three prototypes in development:

• a RGB LED flashlight with a non-contact infrared sensor that "paints" the temperature of the surface directly on the wall for capture with a second timelapse camera.
• a thermometer for draggling through the water, taking contact measurements mapped to a RGB light, also for capture with a second timelapse camera.
• a scanning thermal camera on a lego turntable (software also in development) that sweeps back and forth across a scene, recording the temperature variation to build up an image that looks like this: