Performance of portable staring infrared cameras

The availability of high quality MWIR and LWIR staring infrared focal plane arrays (IRFPAs) has enabled system manufacturers to develop portable imaging systems with thermal resolution less than 0.020 Kelvin at standard video frame rates. These staring IRFPA systems exceed the performance of portable serially scanned systems used in medical studies prior to mid 1980 by more than a factor of 10. High quantum efficiency staring IRFPAs maintain sensitivity over narrow spectral bandwidths and at high frame rates, enabling the development of portable imaging spectrometers from the SWIR to the LWIR. The medical benefits of using high performance staring IRFPA systems for radiometric imaging, spectrally and temporally resolved imaging, and multisensor fusion have not been fully explored. A variety of portable packages are available from the industry, each containing unique design features that impact sensor performance, usability, size, weight, and power consumption. The performance of cooled and uncooled portable staring infrared cameras is presented, including temporal and spatial noise equivalent temperature difference (NETD), minimum resolvable temperature difference (MRTD), and stability