A thermal camera will detect people approaching the ATM. In the banking sector, consider a vestibule or an area around an ATM where there may not be a lot of light. Related: How Thermal Imaging Can Combat False Alarms “Essentially the whole point of a thermal camera is to do detection, and with analytics we can do more precise detection by filtering out details that we don’t want,” he says. Wide-ranging retail and commercial settings are prime examples of market niches opening up to thermal imaging due to cost-effective solutions that provide detection under all different types of circumstances, explains Ryan Zatolokin, senior technologist, North America, at Axis Communications.

SSI conversed with several subject matter experts from leading manufacturers to learn about the diverse applications for thermal technology, along with readily available marketing tips and vertical market opportunities for installing security contractors to pursue. Still other models commonly incorporate onboard analytics to notify operators of critical events. Manufacturers are releasing cameras designed for outdoor perimeter security cameras for the commercial market that integrate both thermal sensors and visible light imagers for verification. Today’s smaller form factors and advancements in image processing allow for mainstream applications such as residential and small businesses, where thermal imagers are being used for leak detection (water, gas or air) to locating insufficient insulation. Technological advances have led to a decrease in unit size and far more affordable price points than just a handful of years ago when thermal cameras were mostly exclusive to the military and critical infrastructure. The varied types of applications suitable for thermal imaging nowadays can be nothing short of head-scratching.

The Sorceress by Tony DeStefano