Institute for Future Intelligence (IFI)

Scientists have long relied on imaging to visualize invisible phenomena and thus advance science. The Infrared Explorer (IE) is an app that IFI is developing to realize the educational promise of scientific imaging — using thermal imaging enabled by the low-cost FLIR ONE infrared cameras as an example.

Seeing the unseen with the IE app

As a mobile app, the Infrared Explorer allows users to use FLIR ONE anywhere to capture thermal images, record videos, and share them through email or social networks. The IE app has its own galleries for storing images and videos, which also provide many functionalities for managing and post-processing images and videos. As a science app, the Infrared Explorer includes data analysis and visualization tools that support science and engineering practices. For instance, it has built-in temporal and spatial graphs for studying the time evolution and space distribution of temperature. It also features an online video store that has scores of recorded videos for users to download and analyze, allowing the IE app to be useful even for those who do not have a thermal camera.

Galleries, tools, and a video store in the IE app

Combined with Google Maps, the Infrared Explorer also provides a way for users to examine street views captured in thermal infrared light. The IE app comes with a tool for making this type of "street views" as well.

Street views in thermal infrared light rendered within the IE app