Short Wave Infrared, AKA SWIR imaging, is a technique to capture images using radiation.
Regular cameras, as you know, can capture the beauty of the surroundings in a frame. It uses the natural light that falls on the object as the visibility medium.
SWIR, on the other hand, works beyond that. It can capture things that otherwise are not visible to our eyes or to other imaging mediums.
In simple words, a regular camera sees what you see. SWIR can penetrate deeper to show you detailed contrast images.
Today, the Swir camera can play an important role in many industrial applications for their advanced imaging technique.
Let’s find out more about what these cameras can do.
How Swir Cameras Actually Work?
Shortwave infrared (wavelengths somewhat between 1,100 and 3,000 nanometers) is not a new concept. It was known to humans for a very long time. Now we can make practical use of it via sensors.
Since human eyes cannot detect that wavelength, it’s practically invisible to us. To uncover that wavelength, Swir cameras use a special sensor called Indium Gallium Arsenide (InGaAs).
With the sensor, the abilities of Swir can be used to capture high contrast images.
Swir cameras can penetrate through fog, rain, dust, or any bad weather conditions to snap an image.
While thermal imaging detects a warm object in the surrounding, Swir can tell exactly what the object is. Basically, it removes all the barriers that a thermal imaging or normal camera might face.
Having said that, Swir technology has become an integral part of surveillance and security systems. And it also offers a lot more advantages to various fields.
Advantages of Swir Cameras Across Wide Domains
Unlike any other type of camera, Swir has an unscattered wavelength. That’s the reason it can penetrate through non-ideal conditions to capture the image with an extra bit of detail.
And with that feature, here is what a Swir camera can do:
Security
Coupled with suitable technology, Swir cameras can detect objects from people’s luggage and pockets. It is used as a security measure at airports, government facilities, and more.
The army can use Swir imaging even at night, through any weather condition, to determine what lays ahead.
Small Animal Imaging
Swir imaging has been the greatest addition to scientific research and discovery. It can capture the tiniest of animal organs in detail. Researchers are using these images for early cancer detection, medicinal findings, and more.
Food Industry
The food industry has been benefiting a lot from Swir imaging. Depending on the water absorption and chemical compositions in the food item, Swir can detect the quality of the food.
Currently used technique in the food industry combines Swir with spectroscopy to collect data on food quality and other measures.
Agriculture Areas
One of the greatest features of swir is, it can distinguish the quantity of absorbed water by darker color concentration. Farmers can use this detection method to figure out which plants/fruits/vegetables have excess water, too little water, and a perfect amount of water.
Waste Recycling
We cannot distinguish between recyclable waste or plastic from harmful one. With proper measures, waste recycling can become more efficient. Swir cameras can distinguish between material compositions, which later can be sorted into reusable ones.
Final Words
If you think your business can benefit from Swir imaging, you can easily get a suitable camera.
New Imaging Technologies (NIT) design and develop these cameras with different resolutions and interfaces. These cameras have highly sensitive sensors and are pretty handy to use.
SWIR technology is evolving, and it would certainly revolutionize a lot of businesses along the way.
