Infrared Transmission
- 1. Infrared
- 2. Infrared Infrared radiation ( IR radiation ) is electromagnetic radiation which have frequency range between approximately 1 and 430 THz . The name means below red, the Latin infra meaning "below". Red is the color of the longest wavelengths of visible light. Infrared light has a lower frequency than that of red light visible to humans, hence the literal meaning of below red.
- 3. Infrared Infrared imaging is used extensively for military and civilian purposes. Military applications include target acquisition , surveillance, night vision , homing and tracking. Non-military uses include thermal efficiency analysis, remote temperature sensing, short-ranged wireless communication , weather forecasting .
- 4. Infrared Infrared astronomy uses sensor-equipped telescopes to penetrate dusty regions of space, such as molecular clouds ; detect objects such as planets .
- 5. Infrared Applications Night Vision Thermography Tracking Heating Communications Meteorology Astronomy
- 6. Night Vision Infrared is used in night vision equipment when there is insufficient visible light to see. Night vision devices operate through a process involving the conversion of light photons into electrons which are then amplified by a chemical and electrical process and then converted back into visible light. Infrared light sources can be used to augment the available ambient light for conversion by night vision devices, increasing in-the-dark visibility without actually using a visible light source.
- 7. Thermography Infrared radiation can be used to remotely determine the temperature of objects (if the emissivity is known). This is termed Thermography . Thermography (thermal imaging) is mainly used in military and industrial applications but the technology is reaching the public market in the form of infrared cameras on cars due to the massively reduced production costs.
- 9. Tracking Infrared tracking, also known as infrared homing, refers to a passive missile guidance system which uses the emission from a target of electromagnetic radiation in the infrared part of the spectrum to track it. Missiles which use infrared seeking are often referred to as "heat-seekers", since infrared (IR) is just below the visible spectrum of light in frequency and is radiated strongly by hot bodies. Many objects such as people, vehicle engines, and aircraft generate and retain heat, and as such, are especially visible in the infrared wavelengths of light compared to objects in the background.
- 10. Tracking (Cont…)
- 11. Heating Infrared radiation can be used as a deliberate heating source. For example it is used to remove ice from the wings of aircraft ( de-icing ). It is also gaining popularity as a safe method of natural health care & physiotherapy. Far infrared thermometric therapy garments use thermal technology to provide compressive support and healing warmth to assist symptom control for arthritis, injury & pain. Infrared can be used in cooking and heating food as it predominantly heats the opaque, absorbent objects, rather than the air around them.
- 12. Communications IR data transmission is also employed in short-range communication among computer peripherals and personal digital assistants . These devices usually conform to standards published by IrDA , the Infrared Data Association. Remote controls and IrDA devices use infrared light-emitting diodes (LEDs) to emit infrared radiation which is focused by a plastic lens into a narrow beam. The beam is modulated , i.e. switched on and off, to encode the data . The receiver uses a silicon photodiode to convert the infrared radiation to an electric current Infrared communications are useful for indoor use in areas of high population density. IR does not penetrate walls and so does not interfere with other devices in adjoining rooms. Infrared is the most common way for remote controls to command appliances.
- 14. Meteorology Weather satellites equipped with scanning radiometers produce thermal or infrared images which can then enable a trained analyst to determine cloud heights and types, to calculate land and surface water temperatures, and to locate ocean surface features. One disadvantage of infrared imagery is that low cloud such as fog can be a similar temperature to the surrounding land or sea surface and does not show up.
- 16. Astronomy Astronomers observe objects in the infrared portion of the electromagnetic spectrum using optical components, including mirrors, lenses and solid state digital detectors. For this reason it is classified as part of optical astronomy . To form an image, the components of an infrared telescope need to be carefully shielded from heat sources, and the detectors are chilled using liquid helium .
- 18. Infrared Advantages Low power requirements: therefore ideal for laptops, telephones, personal digital assistant Low circuitry costs: $2-$5 for the entire coding/decoding circuitry Simple circuitry: no special or proprietary hardware is required, can be incorporated into the integrated circuit of a product Higher security: directionality of the beam helps ensure that data isn't leaked or spilled to nearby devices as it's transmitted Portable
- 19. Infrared Disadvantages It needs a direct line of sight between the transmitter and receiver. For example, it doesn't work through walls or doors. Line of sight: transmitters and receivers must be almost directly aligned (i.e. able to see each other) to communicate Blocked by common materials: people, walls, plants, etc. can block transmission Short range: performance drops off with longer distances Light, weather sensitive: direct sunlight, rain, fog, dust, pollution can affect transmission Speed: data rate transmission is lower than typical wired transmission