Imaging equipment for night vision goggles
Most thermal imaging devices scan at a rate of 30 scans/second. They can detect a temperature range of -20°C to 2000°C, and can detect a temperature difference of about 0.2°C.
There are generally two types of thermal imaging equipment:
Uncooled - This type of thermal imaging device is the most common. Its infrared detector elements are packaged in a single unit and can operate at room temperature. The system activates quickly, operates completely silently, and has a built-in battery.
Cryogenic Cooling - These systems are more expensive and can be easily damaged if not handled properly. This thermal imaging device encapsulates the detector element in an outer package and cools it to below 0°C. Due to the cooling of the detector elements, this system has extremely high resolution and sensitivity. The cryogenically cooled system can "see" a temperature difference of 0.1°C from 300 meters away, which is enough for the system to tell if a person is holding a gun!
