Thermal Imaging, previously the realm of law enforcement, military, and emergency personnel, is now getting more and more into people's hands. Previously, we wrote about the FLIR One, which is a thermal imager for the iPhone, and soon for Android devices. Now, an Israeli company, Opgal Optronic, have announced their own Thermal Imaging Camera, called the Therm-App, which can be easily installed on Android phones and it's almost model agnostic, only requiring devices to have Jelly-Bean 4.1 as the minimum Android OS version.

Compared to the FLIR One which is like a case for the iPhone with its own battery, Therm-App is a simpler device as it uses a clamp system for it to be attached to an Android device. It doesn’t have its own battery and requires USB On-The-Go (USB OTG) for it to work with the Android Phone. This means you'll have to check if your Android has that provision which is a mini-USB port and most Android phones have that, including the dominant Samsung Galaxy Mobile Devices.  With it attached via USB OTG, Therm-App can then interact with the Therm-App mobile App using the device's screen to show thermal image  and additional information.

According to Opgal Optronic, "Therm-App™ provides long-range thermal imagery (greyscale night vision and enhanced bad-weather day vision) as well as high-resolution thermography (color temperature mapping), to best match your professional needs." Images and videos taken can be shared via messaging and social networks.

There's also an SDK for developers to develop apps that will exploit the power of Therm-App.

It is easy to appreciate the simplicity and usefulness of Thermal-App. Unlike FLIR-One, Therm-App can be installed in different Android models whereas the former, since it's made like a case, can only fit certain models, which for the iPhone can be a maximum of two models (eg. iPhone 5, iPhone 5s).  Therm-App is low-power and can draw power from the phone's battery, not needing to carry its own battery. It has interchangeable lenses so you can do either wide angle views with its 6.8mm lens or long range with the 19mm lens which can let you spot a human figure up to 500 meters or a moving vehicle up to 1,500 meters (1.5km).

No pricing has been indicated at the Therm-App website, but for existing Opgal Optronic customers, they can already place their orders. For non-customer, they need to email them to query if they can also order one for their use. More accessories are being made for the Therm-App to make it useful for different applications/scenarios.

We just hope it will be available for  at electronic shops or outdoor stores soon. It's going to be a useful kit especially for airsoft nigh games and emergency situations. At least, there's a Thermal imaging device now available for Android devices.