Ever wondered if you could see what we see? Well, with the FLIR Radiometric Lepton® Dev Kit, you can bring the reliability and power of FLIR's thermal imaging to your Arduino, Raspberry Pi, or any ARM-based development tool. It comes in a super-accessible, breadboard-friendly package. This kit includes a breakout and the Lepton® 2.5 longwave infrared (LWIR) imager. Setting it up is a breeze! Just attach the Lepton® imager module to the provided breakout, connect the headers, and you'll be seeing in the dark right away. The Radiometric Lepton® LWIR module in each Dev Kit acts like a camera. It's incredibly compact, smaller than a dime, and has a resolution of 80 × 60 active pixels. It captures infrared radiation in the 8 - 14 micron wavelength band and outputs a clear thermal image. The Lepton 2.5 can give you a factory-calibrated temperature value for all 4800 pixels in a frame, with an accuracy of +/-5˚C, regardless of the camera temperature. Each breakout board in the kits provides a socket for the Lepton, a power supply, a 25Mhz Crystal Oscillator, and a 100 mil header for use in a breadboard or wiring to any host system. The breakout board can accept a 3 - 5V input and adjust it for the Lepton®. To read an image from the lepton module, all you need is an SPI port, and for configuring camera settings, an I2C port (though it's not necessary). Note: This kit comes in two parts and needs to be assembled when you receive it. The Radiometric Lepton module is very sensitive to electrostatic discharge (ESD). When inserting it into the breakout board, make sure to use proper personal grounding, like a grounding wrist strap, to avoid damaging the module.
Using the FLIR Radiometric Lepton Dev Kit is simple. First, assemble the two parts of the kit. Take the Lepton® imager module and attach it to the provided breakout. Then, connect the headers. Once it's all set up, you can start seeing in the dark. To read an image from the lepton module, you'll need an SPI port. If you want to configure the camera settings, you'll also need an I2C port, but it's not a must. When it comes to power, the breakout board can take a 3 - 5V input and make it suitable for the Lepton®. Now, for the important stuff. The Radiometric Lepton module is very sensitive to electrostatic discharge. So, when you're inserting it into the breakout board, wear a grounding wrist strap or use some other form of personal grounding. This will keep the module safe. As for maintenance, keep the kit in a clean and dry place. Avoid exposing it to extreme temperatures or moisture. If you follow these simple steps, your FLIR Radiometric Lepton Dev Kit will serve you well for a long time.
