Nature is an irreplaceable and inexhaustible source of inspiration. Humans are indeed unique creatures who can be inspired by what surrounds us and explore and create analogs of abilities that they do not have. For example, the ability to see in the dark.
A few centuries ago, this was quite a challenge for humanity. While wild animals such as deer, cats, owls, wild boars, etc., could freely navigate in the dark without any obstacles or extra effort, it was torture for humans. This was especially problematic during wartime when nighttime sabotage was necessary. In general, these conditions and reasons prompted scientists to address this issue and invent a technology that allows us to improve visibility when there is not enough light for our eyes. They have successfully solved this problem, so today, the world is familiar with night vision devices and thermal imagers of various shapes and purposes. After the war ended, they quickly assimilated into civilian life. These devices are constantly being modernized, technologies are improving, and demand in various fields is growing.
What are night vision devices? What is the difference between NVGs and thermal imagers? Where are they used? How are they used in medical diagnostics? This is what we are going to talk about today.
What are night vision devices?
A night vision device (NVD) is an optoelectronics device designed for low-light conditions. All night vision devices work on a similar principle: the device accumulates all the reflected light (in a minimal amount), amplifies it with a unique converter, and delivers the resulting monochrome image to the user's eyes. Due to the human eye's enhanced sensitivity to the colors of the green spectrum, the painting acquires greenish tints.
A unique infrared illuminator enhances the capabilities of night vision devices in complete darkness. Its radiation is utterly invisible to an ordinary person because it operates at an ultra-high frequency. At the same time, it will be enough to obtain a high-quality picture.
The first steps towards the creation of this device began in the 1930s. This technology is still young because it is not even a hundred years old. However, in a relatively short period, the modern market can offer you night vision devices of various generations and shapes, depending on your finances and needs.
All types of night vision devices can be divided into four main types:
- Sights. The most expensive and fragile devices needed to adjust the trajectory of a shot in the dark
- Binoculars. The most common type of EMP consists of two tubes equipped with a converter, an infrared emitter, and multiple zooms.
- Monoculars. This is a relatively popular type of device that looks like a spyglass. They can be mounted on a tripod or helmet.
- Goggles. This three-dimensional device can be worn like ordinary goggles and provides excellent images of close objects. It is ideal for observing the surrounding objects while driving.
And this is a question where you need help to say what is better and worse. Your choice will mainly depend on the scope of use of this device, its requirements, and your financial capabilities.
The last two points are directly related to the generation of the device, which depends on the technologies used in creating an electro-optical converter. It is the modification of the EOS that significantly affects the image quality. The price for the entire NVD changes dramatically based on the choice of a particular generation of EOS. Thus, the Gen2+ abbreviation stands for the following: Gen- is a generation, the number "2" is the serial number of the modification, and the "+" icon indicates the presence of an intermediate or, more precisely, an improved version of this generation.
Main areas of application for air gaps
The areas of use for these devices are diverse. Of course, they are used by the military in various operations, by hunters who go hunting in the autumn when it gets dark or even at night. They are also used by law enforcement, rescue, and search services. Scientists studying the environment on land and underwater, etc.
What is a thermal visor?
A popular misconception among newcomers is that thermal imagers belong to the category of night vision devices. But this statement is false. They are. Both devices are used to increase your chances of seeing in the dark and use infrared light technology. And that's all they have in common. Thanks to these devices, the principle of operation and the result you see on the display are entirely different.
A thermal imager is a portable or stationary device capable of recording the thermal temperature distribution of an object under investigation in the infrared range.
Unlike the same night vision devices that work on the principle of multiple light amplification, a thermal imager does not use reflected radiation but directly scans the temperature of the object's surface and elements of the environment. The main sensing element is a matrix in the focal plane containing thousands of microsensors. Based on the measured temperature, a general thermogram image is formed, which can be seen on the device's display. In thermal imaging optics, the material used as the front-focusing lens is Germanium (32 Ge), which is entirely transparent in the required infrared range. The wide variety of thermal imaging optics is primarily due to different-sized sensors and lenses. These characteristics form the main cost of the device. The larger the sensor and lens, the further and better you can see.
Like NVD, thermal imagers vary in shape and generation. The generation will affect the image's quality, clarity, and resolution. The older the age, the greater the detail in the temperature transmission, and the better its slightest fluctuations are transmitted. It will also be easier to cope with interference.
The main areas of use for thermal imagers
As in the case of airborne surveillance, thermal imagers became necessary because of military operations. After all, any technology is probably created or undergoes rapid development due to such a phenomenon as war. That's why this device is still popular among the military when observing an enemy object from a long distance in complete darkness is necessary.
It isn't easy to imagine construction in the modern world without a thermal imager. The process of setting up pipes or their malfunctions and leaks, electricity, heat supply to the building, building tightness—all this is checked with the help of this device. There are unique cameras used to diagnose construction work. It is pointed at the object of study, and you quickly get the result and clearly understand the scope of further work.
This device is used to check the serviceability of equipment. For example, where the temperature drop is large or small, this is the point of failure.
Hunting, rescue operations, scientific research, particularly in astrophysics and astronomy, And, of course, medicine.
Thermal imagers in medical diagnostics
Today, we will look at two areas of medicine that use thermal imaging for diagnostics, namely veterinary and human medicine. Let's start with the first one. When you hear about this practice, the most widespread situation is when horses are examined with this device.
These animals are used in the service, on ranches, for sports, performances, photo shoots, etc. So, they require careful treatment. When something happens to such an animal, the owner first tries to find a qualified specialist who will identify the problem and prescribe the correct and appropriate treatment. Modern technology has made it much easier to carry out these manipulations. And to avoid diagnostic errors, veterinarians have started using thermal imagers in their practice. After all, when you use this device, you seem to see the aura of the surrounding objects. Of course, those areas highlighted in blue will signal us about the low temperature of the object, and so-called "hot spots" are highlighted in red. How does this affect animal diagnostics?
The horse's musculoskeletal system is usually under heavy load. This factor can reflect inflammatory processes in soft tissues, accompanied by an increase in the temperature of the affected area, so it will stand out in a brighter color when performing thermography. This helps to localize our attention and subsequently perform additional analyses of the affected area. However, there are many problems with opposing inflammatory processes, such as poor circulation, arthritis, nerve damage, swelling, atrophy, etc. This indicates that some places have poor blood flow and, therefore, have abnormally cold areas. And thanks to thermal vision, we can see this.
Such checks are essential, not only when you notice any apparent problems with your animal's movements. They should be regular, mainly if the horse participates in sports competitions or theatrical performances. Therefore, this is a significant investment for someone with such an animal. It will help you even at the stage of buying an animal. The scan will ensure the foal does not suffer from inflammatory diseases. During training, you can conduct the following experiments: record the initial performance of the horse and record the data after exercise. Regularly checking your animal with a thermal imager will help you monitor the general condition, which will help you distribute the load properly and immediately identify the problem before the disease shows apparent symptoms, which will be a little more difficult to treat later.
Thermography can be used to diagnose tendonitis and subsequent tendon healing and examine muscle damage, muscle atrophy, and muscle tension. Additional applications include the detection of laminitis and foot abscesses and the diagnosis of joint capsule/synovitis. Once the problem is identified, the veterinarian will evaluate the injury using X-rays, ultrasound, scintigraphy (nuclear imaging), and other tools. And then, you will monitor how the recovery process is going.
Now, let's talk about thermograms in traditional medicine and how they help treat people.
If we look at it in detail, we will come to the following conclusion: temperature is the most universal indicator of biological activity. A temperature response characterizes all types of diseases. Abnormal temperatures are the first symptom of any disease. Temperature measurements of the whole body and individual organs have always been essential indicators for recognizing the nature of the disease and its severity. Thermography is considered a passive diagnostic method. Thermal imagers have been successfully used in diagnostic and clinical centers for several years. In diagnostic centers, thermography is used to diagnose spine thyroid diseases in endocrinology, in dentistry to detect inflammatory processes, gastrointestinal organs in gastroenterology, to monitor the course of treatment of diseases associated with peripheral circulatory disorders, etc.
Thermograms of the human body (temperature distribution over its surface) contain valuable information. Visualized temperature fields give an idea of the peripheral blood flow and provide information about the underlying processes in the body.
With the help of thermography and a thermal imager for medical examination, detecting and recognizing many pathological changes inside the body at an early, preclinical stage is possible. Thermography, in a comprehensive diagnosis of a disease, additionally provides crucial information about the presence and severity of inflammatory processes and makes it possible to assess the effectiveness of conservative treatment.
It is worth noting and emphasizing the following: We know that X-rays, tomography, and other diagnostics should not be done too often, as they can harm your health. On the other hand, thermal imaging diagnostics is safe and harmless for patients and medical staff. It is a highly effective method for early diagnosis of diseases before their clinical manifestation and for monitoring the treatment and rehabilitation process.
As practice shows, thermography is most effectively used in the following cases: screening of employees of enterprises in the process of professional examinations; monitoring the condition of the mammary gland of women during treatment and monitoring the development of malignant changes; several diseases of the musculoskeletal system (osteochondrosis, arthritis, arthrosis) and blood vessels (changes in the arteries, varicose veins, Raynaud's disease); detecting inflammatory processes in the gastrointestinal tract, gallbladder, and liver; monitoring the effectiveness of treatment procedures; rehabilitation and adaptation to physical activity in physiotherapy, sports medicine, and fitness. A full-length examination of the entire body is carried out.
In addition, we can recall that not so long ago, the world was gripped by the coronavirus. One of the symptoms that plagued people during the disease was a high body temperature. Thermal imaging cameras were a great help during the epidemic when obtaining and processing data quickly and efficiently was necessary. And then monitor the patient's condition. Also, when humanity was gradually adapting to life during the pandemic, specialists in the institutions observed and recorded people's temperatures. Due to the use of such devices, this process became much faster and, therefore, more accessible.
We have discovered that the thermal imager is a highly effective invention that has proven itself in many areas of our everyday lives. In particular, it has found application in medicine.
When discussing a traditional night vision device, it is generally difficult to imagine it in the medical field. Even devices that are supposed to examine a person from the inside, for example, are equipped with a flashlight and a camera that display everything on a computer screen. The only example I can think of is using a night vision device in emergencies during search operations. If a person gets lost in the mountains or forest and is injured, the NVD will help find them in the dark and possibly provide first aid. This technology is not used to diagnose any disease.
However, this is not to say that night vision devices are now completely useless. Each of these technologies should be used where it is genuinely appropriate.
So, let's summarize the main points of our topic. A common misconception is that thermal imagers are considered night vision devices. However, this statement is false. This is because they are based on different technological principles. A thermal imager only amplifies the available light. It is not used in complete darkness. A thermal imager can be used in such conditions. This is because it primarily uses infrared radiation to scan the heat of surrounding objects and display it on the screen. It is these capabilities that make it suitable for use by doctors to diagnose the human body and detect diseases. Thermography can now be used to analyze more than 100 diseases, as there is a direct link between surface effects and processes occurring in the body. This device is used to diagnose people and is popular in veterinary practice. Therefore, if you have your ranch, it will be an excellent decision to consider buying a thermal imager and doing it yourself. Or, at the very least, it will be helpful to find out where the nearest veterinary clinic is that can organize this procedure.