TERMOLAB - THE DIGITAL SYSTEM FORTHERMAL IMAGING,
USING AGEMA 550/570 CAMERAS.
Waldemar Minkina, Sebastian Dudzik
Institute of Electronics and Control Systems
Technical University of Częstochowa
Al. Armii Krajowej 17, 42-200 Częstochowa
e-mail: minkina@el.pcz.czest.pl, sebdud@el.pcz.czest.pl
Introduction
The on-line analysis of the thermal fields using camera is conducted as follows:
1) Detection of thermal radiation (detectors’ matrix)
2) Assigning of values of temperature on the surface – with camera built-in software
3) Visualization of determined temperature profile, using different pallets of colors and evaluation of additional parameters.
For the off-line analysis the personal computers with specialized software are used. In this
case stages 1) and 2) are related to camera hardware. Alternative for the camera’s firmware is
system polish TermoLab. TermoLab is the system for the thermal image processing and thermal imaging. The system worked out in the Division of the Microprocessor Engineering, Automatic and Heat Measurements on the Technical University of Częstochowa.
TermoLab can read the data organized in matrix of values of temperatures (MATLAB
format) or direct values of camera detectors (only AGEMA 550/570 cameras). Thanks to solutions described above, the analysis data stored with different cameras is possible. Further
graphical interpretation of measurements and calculations is possible. The results of calculations can be written in the MATLAB file (*.MAT). On the basis of the analysis the report
including results of calculations and measurements is generated. By courtesy of FLIR SYSTEMS® system TermoLab enables cooperation with AGEMA 560/590 cameras. It is possible
because the system uses the AFF (Agema File Format)[4]. Due to nondisclosure agreement
AFF is not described. The part of TermoLab that is based on the algorithms of The FLIR
SYSTEMS® is not described too. In the paper the part of TermoLab based on the processing
of the matrix of temperatures is described.
Description of novelty and technical implementation.
Digital off-line system of thermal data processing for the PC is dedicated for the special
cameras’ types. It is related to using different detectors and algorithms of thermal imaging of
stored data [1,2,3].
TermoLab presents more universal solution. System enables the analysis of temperature’s
profile with any camera stored. Only restriction is the format of input data (temperatures’ matrix). The input data of the TermoLab system is equal to MATLAB file format (*MAT). It
causes to extend of the field application. The firmware of the thermal cameras offers typical
analysis calculations of temperatures’ values, visualization and simple statistics (maximum,
minimum, mean value). Using dedicated program you can also make a documentation of
measurement process. TermoLab system enables advanced statistical analysis and frequencydomain analysis, makes possible using the system in the research works. The novelty in
reference to the firmware solutions is advanced image processing of the stored thermal images
(filtering, noise removing etc.) and correlation analysis of groups of thermograms with determining non-compatible regions of thermograms (diagnostic applications). The system is a
software package for the PC, working under control Windows 9x/2000 operating system. The
basic tasks of TermoLab system are:
 visualization of thermograms stored with AGEMA 550/570 cameras,
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analysis of thermograms using numerical algorithms (calculations of temperature values, statistical analysis etc.),
conversion of the measurement’s data from internal AF format (Agema File Format) of
the thermal camera into the MATLAB-formatted file (*.MAT),
graphical presentation of calculations (shown on fig. 1),
correlation analysis of the groups of thermograms (diagnostic applications).
Figure 1. Visualization of thermal image stored with AGEMA 570 camera, using
TermoLab system (fusebox)
Results
In the paper the results of the TermoLab’s system tests are described. The following test
procedure is applied:
 selection of patterns,
 estimation possibilities of visualization of the TermoLab system and other thermal imaging systems (on the Agema Report example),
 comparison of results of working of some computing routines in TermoLab with firmware system with the patterns. (some of TermoLab routines aren’t implemented in
firmware system),
 comparison of results of working of remaining TermoLab’s system routines with routines implemented in MATLAB environment.
The thermal images used as the pattern for the comparative tests with AGEMA 570 camera
are stored. For these tests Agema Report and TermoLab are used. Agema Report is a program
dedicated for the AGEMA 550/570 cameras. The routines are tested as regards accuracy of
the assigned of parameters and value of operation time. On the basis of the analysis of tests
results the usefulness and the limits of the applications are discussed.
References
[1] Technisches Messen, 66 (1999) Nr 3, edited by G. Gerlach.
[2] Technisches Messen, 66 (1999) Nr 9, edited by G. Gerlach.
[3] Minkina W., Rutkowski P., Wild A.: “The basis of the non-contact thermal measure
ments”, Part I p.7-10, Part II p.11-14, Pomiary, Automatyka, Kontrola Vol 46(2000)Nr 1.
[4] Catalogues and prospects of the: AGEMA Infrared Systems, FSI FLIR Systems inc.,
FLIR Systems.