A fall in one’s own home. An infection that goes unnoticed. A driver who nearly misses a person on the street at night. In situations like these, new infrared sensors could help in the future. Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Photonic Microsystems IPMS are developing them in collaboration with Heimann Sensor and the Leibniz Institute for Solid State and Materials Research Dresden (IFW Dresden).
The infrared sensors measure heat without touching anything. They detect the temperature of objects or people from a distance and use this data to create a thermal image. Such sensors are already in use today in building automation, security systems, and the monitoring of production processes. However, the materials used so far limit their performance.
Opportunities for Medicine, Mobility, and Industry
The higher sensitivity is expected to enable many new applications. In medicine, for example, the sensors could support early cancer detection or identify externally visible inflammation. In senior living facilities, they could reliably detect falls or emergency situations. Autonomous vehicles would also benefit from the more sensitive sensors.
For industry, new possibilities are opening up in thermography and process monitoring. Furthermore, the sensors are expected to enable cost-effective solutions for contactless temperature measurement in the future.
It will still be some time before infrared sensors can be used in everyday life. For now, the researchers are building initial test sensors. Later, these are expected to evolve into complete sensor chips in which the sensor and control electronics work together on a single chip.
