Infrared thermography is equipment or method, which detects infrared energy emitted from object, converts it to temperature, and displays image of temperature distribution. To be accurate, the equipment and the method should be called differently, the equipment to be called as infrared thermograph and the method to be called as infrared thermography.

Characteristics of Infrared Thermography equipment

1. It captures as a temperature distribution on a surface, and it can display as a visible information.
2. Temperature can be measured from a distance without contacting an object.
3. Temperature can be measured in real time.

Merits of Infrared Thermography equipment

1. Relative comparison of distribution of surface temperature can be made over a wide area.
2. Temperature can be measured easily for a moving object or an object which is dangerous to get close to.
3. Temperature of small object can be measured without confusing the temperature.
4. Temperature of food, medicine or chemicals can be measured in a sanitary fashion.
5. Temperature of an object with drastic temperature change or a phenomenon during a short period of time can be measured.

Characteristics of Infrared

1. It is invisible since its wavelength is longer than visible light. It has nothing to do with brightness or darkness of visible light
2. It is emitted naturally from any object of which temperature is absolute zero (0K) or higher. Therefore, it can be applied to any field
3. It has a characteristic of heating an object. Therefore, it is sometimes called "heat wave".
4. It is a kind of light (electromagnetic wave). It can be transmitted through vacuum.
5. There is a correlation between infrared energy and temperature of an object. Therefore, it can be used to measure the temperature of an object.

Temperature distribution image data of infrared thermography consists of matrix of pixels (number of detector: for example, 320 horizontal X 240 vertical pixels) as shown in the figure above. Thermal image data can be transferred to PC. Subsequently, the data can be calculated and utilized freely. Thermal image data is colored up pixel by pixel based on temperature.