A sensor array for human-body detection based on pyroelectric polyvinylidene fluoride

The pyroelectric polymer polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) is particularly suitable for sensor arrays because of its low lateral heat flow. Sensor arrays can be used to determine the direction and, knowing the distance between detector and heat source, the velocity of a heat source. An IR detector based on PVDF is presented in which a sensor array is combined with a suitable optical unit and an amplifier circuit to form a single, complete device. There are a large number of applications such as human body detection, automatic actuation of devices in installations, security, and control engineering