[Encyclios]

Technological applications

Industrially infrared rays are used to heat bodies that allow a good penetration of heat inside, for example to dry painted surfaces, or also to heat outdoor environments.

Other important applications include remote temperature measurements in chemical and metallurgical processes, surveys of air pollution or air turbulence, gas analysis, fire alarms, heat map surveys, industrial surveillance with examination of photographic film during manufacture.

In the scientific field, the most interesting applications concern the localization of satellites, devices for the orientation of solar battery instruments, the measurement of temperatures of the Moon, planets or satellites, the measurement of reflected solar radiation, the localization of storm fronts, the visualization of the temperature of land or sea surfaces or ocean currents, the search for oil fields, the measurement of thicknesses of epitaxial films, the determination of the composition of organic substances. The observation of the Universe in the infrared constitutes an entire branch of astronomy, infrared astronomy.

In the military field the most important applications concern the localization of aircraft, ships, submarines, missiles and ground vehicles, surveillance of military targets, night guidance devices.

In the photographic field are sometimes used emulsions sensitive to infrared rays to perform photographs even with haze taking advantage of the property of infrared rays, emitted by the subject to be photographed, to cross almost undisturbed haze and even fog.

The medical applications concern, in the field of diagnosis, the remote measurement of the temperature of the skin and the area below (thermograms), with the possibility of revealing inflammatory, or infectious, or tumor processes; the determination of the content of carbon dioxide in the blood; the measurement of eye size and control of eye movements; the detection of obstacles for the blind. In the therapeutic field is exploited the thermal effect of infrared radiation resulting in vasodilation, acceleration of metabolic exchange and other effects on the peripheral nervous system.