VIDEO: Seeing air pollution with thermal imaging cameras

To raise awareness of the potentially fatal impacts of air pollution, a new video from thermal imaging specialists FLIR Systems highlights how its GF Series Optical Gas Imaging cameras use IR technology to visually demonstrate vehicle emissions and the resulting air pollution issues.

In order to raise awareness of the amount of pollution produced by vehicles, Martin Williams, professor of air quality at King’s College London, proposes thermal imaging as a potential means to “see air pollution as it is happening”.

Prof Williams said: “By using infrared technology you can physically see pollutants and how they spread from the source into the air. Optical Gas Imaging (OGI) cameras based on infrared technology that physically show pollution – whether fumes from a car, aeroplane or train – will help enormously in getting the message across.” With young children so vulnerable to pollution, Prof Williams said one of the major concerns centres on prams and pushchairs being so close to vehicle exhaust level: “If parents could see what it looks like pushing their child through a band of raw pollution, they would take preventive action.”

Chris Brown of FLIR Systems said: “Infrared technology, or thermal imaging, is really important in the context of air pollution as, unfortunately, we are only born with five senses. In effect, infrared technology provides us with a sixth sense – allowing us to see air pollution before and while it’s happening.”