You do not have permission to edit this page, for the following reasons:

This IP address has been blocked from editing Wikipedia.
This does not affect your ability to read Wikipedia pages.
Most people who see this message have done nothing wrong. Some kinds of blocks restrict editing from specific service providers or telecom companies in response to recent abuse or vandalism, and can sometimes affect other users who are unrelated to that abuse. Review the information below for assistance if you do not believe that you have done anything wrong.

The IP address or range 54.163.0.0/16 has been blocked (disabled) by ‪Blablubbs‬ for the following reason(s):

The IP address that you are currently using has been blocked because it is believed to be a web host provider or colocation provider. To prevent abuse, web hosts and colocation providers may be blocked from editing Wikipedia.
You will not be able to edit Wikipedia using a web host or colocation provider because it hides your IP address, much like a proxy or VPN.
We recommend that you attempt to use another connection to edit. For example, if you use a proxy or VPN to connect to the internet, turn it off when editing Wikipedia. If you edit using a mobile connection, try using a Wi-Fi connection, and vice versa. If you are using a corporate internet connection, switch to a different Wi-Fi network. If you have a Wikipedia account, please log in.
If you do not have any other way to edit Wikipedia, you will need to request an IP block exemption.

How to appeal if you are confident that your connection does not use a colocation provider's IP address:
If you are confident that you are not using a web host, you may appeal this block by adding the following text on your talk page: ((unblock|reason=Caught by a colocation web host block but this host or IP is not a web host. My IP address is _______. Place any further information here. ~~~~)). You must fill in the blank with your IP address for this block to be investigated. Your IP address can be determined here. Alternatively, if you wish to keep your IP address private you can use the unblock ticket request system. There are several reasons you might be editing using the IP address of a web host or colocation provider (such as if you are using VPN software or a business network); please use this method of appeal only if you think your IP address is in fact not a web host or colocation provider.

Administrators: The IP block exemption user right should only be applied to allow users to edit using web host in exceptional circumstances, and requests should usually be directed to the functionaries team via email. If you intend to give the IPBE user right, a CheckUser needs to take a look at the account. This can be requested most easily at SPI Quick Checkuser Requests. Unblocking an IP or IP range with this template is highly discouraged without at least contacting the blocking administrator.

This block will expire on 17:28, 10 March 2024.

Even when blocked, you will usually still be able to edit your user talk page, as well as email administrators and other editors.

For information on how to proceed, please read the FAQ for blocked users and the guideline on block appeals. The guide to appealing blocks may also be helpful.

Other useful links: Blocking policy · Help:I have been blocked
Your IP address is in a range that has been blocked on all Wikimedia Foundation wikis. The block was made by ‪Jon Kolbert‬. The reason given is Open proxy/Webhost: See the help page if you are affected .
- Start of block: 18:27, 12 November 2023
- Expiry of block: 18:27, 12 November 2028
Your current IP address is 54.163.179.242. The blocked range is 54.163.0.0/16. Please include all above details in any queries you make. If you believe you were blocked by mistake, you can find additional information and instructions in the No open proxies global policy. Otherwise, to discuss the block please post a request for review on Meta-Wiki. You could also send an email to the stewards VRT queue at stewards@wikimedia.org including all above details.

You can view and copy the source of this page:

((Short description|Thermometer which infers temperature by measuring infrared energy emission))
((Multiple issues|
((more citations needed|date=January 2015))
((cleanup|date=June 2011))
))

[[File:1024 Pyrometer-8445.jpg|thumbnail|An infrared thermometer]]
An '''infrared thermometer''' is a [[thermometer]] which infers temperature from a portion of the [[thermal radiation]] sometimes called [[black-body radiation]] emitted by the object being measured. They are sometimes called '''laser thermometers''' as a [[laser]] is used to help aim the thermometer, or '''non-contact thermometers''' or '''temperature guns''', to describe the device's ability to measure temperature from a distance. By knowing the amount of [[infrared]] energy emitted by the object and its [[emissivity]], the object's temperature can often be determined within a certain range of its actual temperature. Infrared thermometers are a subset of devices known as "thermal radiation thermometers".

Sometimes, especially near ambient temperatures, readings may be subject to error due to the reflection of radiation from a hotter body—even the person holding the instrument((Citation needed|date=June 2015))&nbsp;— rather than radiated by the object being measured, and to an incorrectly assumed emissivity.

The design essentially consists of a lens to focus the infrared [[thermal radiation]] on to a [[detector]], which converts the radiant power to an [[electrical]] signal that can be displayed in units of temperature after being compensated for ambient temperature.  This permits temperature measurement from a distance without contact with the object to be measured. A non-contact infrared thermometer is useful for measuring temperature under circumstances where [[thermocouples]] or other probe-type sensors cannot be used or do not produce accurate data for a variety of reasons.

== Examples of use ==
[[File: Pyrometer 040824.jpg|thumb|upright|A sailor checking the temperature of a ventilation system]]
Some typical circumstances are where the object to be measured is moving; where the object is surrounded by an [[electromagnetic field]], as in [[induction heating]]; where the object is contained in a [[vacuum]] or another controlled atmosphere; or in applications where a fast response is required, the accurate surface temperature is desired or the object temperature is above the recommended use point for contact sensors, or contact with a sensor would mar the object or the sensor, or introduce a significant temperature gradient on the object's surface.

Infrared thermometers can be used to serve a wide variety of temperature monitoring functions. A few examples provided include detecting clouds for remote telescope operation, checking mechanical or electrical equipment for temperature and hot spots, measuring the temperature of patients in a hospital without touching them, checking heater or oven temperature, for calibration and control, checking for hot spots in fire-fighting, monitoring materials in processes involving heating or cooling, and measuring the temperature of volcanoes. At times of epidemics of diseases causing fever, such as [[SARS coronavirus]] and [[Ebola virus disease]], infrared thermometers have been used to check arriving travelers for fever without causing harmful transmissions among the tested.<ref>[http://www.irinfo.org/06-01-2003-seffrin/ Thermal Imaging for Detecting Potential SARS Infection] ((Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161226054915/http://www.irinfo.org/06-01-2003-seffrin/ |date=2016-12-26 )) (also covers non-imaging infrared thermometers)</ref><ref>((cite web | url=http://www.liberation.fr/societe/2014/10/18/a-roissy-le-thermometre-laser-pour-detecter-ebola_1124527 | title=A Roissy, le "thermomètre laser" pour détecter Ebola | date=2014-10-18 | publisher=[[Libération]] | quote='' A peine descends d’avion, les passagers du vol Conakry-Paris ont été accueillis samedi avec des thermomètres laser pour détecter d’éventuels cas de fièvre, mesure la plus spectaculaire prise par le gouvernement pour prévenir l’éventuelle arrivée en France du virus Ebola'' | access-date=2014-10-18 | archive-date=2018-08-18 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180818084159/http://www.liberation.fr/societe/2014/10/18/a-roissy-le-thermometre-laser-pour-detecter-ebola_1124527 | url-status=live ))</ref>

[[File:Hand holding non-contact infrared thermometer checking a person temprature. COVID-19 Concept.jpg|thumb|IR thermometer checking a person's temperature ]]

In 2020 when [[COVID-19 pandemic]] hit the world, infrared thermometers were used to measure people's temperature and deny them entry to potential transmission sites if they showed signs of fever. Public health authorities such as the [[FDA]] in [[United States]] published rules to assure accuracy and consistency among the infrared thermometers.<ref>((Cite journal|last=Health|first=Center for Devices and Radiological|date=2020-06-23|title=Non-contact Temperature Assessment Devices During the COVID-19 Pandemic|url=https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/emergency-situations-medical-devices/non-contact-temperature-assessment-devices-during-covid-19-pandemic|journal=FDA|language=en|access-date=2020-07-14|archive-date=2020-07-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200726004123/https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/emergency-situations-medical-devices/non-contact-temperature-assessment-devices-during-covid-19-pandemic|url-status=live))</ref>

There are many varieties of infrared temperature-sensing devices, both for portable and handheld use and as fixed installations.

== Accuracy ==
Infrared thermometers are characterized by specifications including accuracy and angular coverage. Simpler instruments may have a measurement error of about ±2&nbsp;°C or ±4&nbsp;°F.((Citation needed|date=September 2017))

The distance-to-spot ratio (D:S) is the ratio of the distance to the measurement surface and the diameter of the temperature measurement area.  For instance, if the D:S ratio is 12:1, the diameter of the measurement area is one-twelfth of the distance to the object.  A thermometer with a higher ratio of D to S is able to sense a more-specific, narrower surface at a greater distance than one with a lower ratio.  A 12:1 rated device can sense a 1-inch circle at a distance of one foot, whereas a 10:1 ratio device achieves the same 1-inch circle at 10 inches, and a wider, less-specific circle of 1.2 inches at a distance of 12 inches.((Citation needed|date=September 2017))

The ideal target area should be at least twice the size of the spot at that distance,<ref>((cite web|url=http://www.firecraftsafety.com/pdf/IR%20Thermometers%20explained.pdf|title=Infrared thermometers explained|publisher=FireCraft Safety.com|access-date=2017-09-05|archive-date=2017-09-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170905192131/http://www.firecraftsafety.com/pdf/IR%20Thermometers%20explained.pdf|url-status=live))</ref> with smaller areas relative to distance resulting in less accurate measurement.((Citation needed|date=September 2017))  An infrared thermometer should not be placed too close to its target, as this proximity could cause heat to build up in the thermometer's housing and damage the sensor. Measurement error generally only decreases with too much distance because of the effects of reflectivity and the inclusion of other heat sources within the sensor's field of view.<ref>((cite book|title=Research & Development|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vacoAQAAMAAJ|year=2004|publisher=[[Reed Business Information]]|page=31))</ref><ref name="Barker1985">((cite book|author=J. R. Barker|title=Thermological methods|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bnRrAAAAMAAJ|date=1 October 1985|publisher=VCH|isbn=978-3-527-15168-4|page=192))</ref>

According to the [[Stefan–Boltzmann law]], radiant power is proportional to the fourth power of temperature, so when the measurement surface has both hot and cold areas, the indicated temperature may be higher than the actual average temperature, and closer to fourth-[[Generalized mean|power mean]] average.<ref>((Cite web |url=http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/thermo/stefan.html |title=Stefan-Boltzmann Law |access-date=2015-06-09 |archive-date=2015-05-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150502194358/http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/thermo/stefan.html |url-status=live ))</ref>

Most surfaces have high emissivity (over 0.9 for most biological surfaces)((citation needed|date=September 2017)), and most IR thermometers rely on this simplifying assumption; however, reflective surfaces have lower emissivity than non-reflective surfaces.((Citation needed|date=September 2017))  Some sensors have an adjustable emissivity setting, which can be set to measure the temperature of reflective and non-reflective surfaces.  A non-adjustable thermometer may be used to measure the temperature of a reflective surface by applying a non-reflective paint or tape, with some loss of accuracy.((Citation needed|date=September 2017))

A sensor with an adjustable emissivity setting can also be used to calibrate the sensor for a given surface or to measure the emissivity of a surface.  When the temperature of a surface is accurately known (e.g. by measuring with a contact thermometer), then the sensor's emissivity setting can be adjusted until the temperature measurement by the IR method matches the measured temperature by the contact method; the emissivity setting will indicate the emissivity of the surface, which can be taken into account for later measurements of similar surfaces (only).

== Infrared pyrometer  ==
The most common infrared thermometer is the spot infrared pyrometer or infrared [[pyrometer]], which measures the temperature at a spot on a surface (actually a relatively small area determined by the D:S ratio). These usually project a visible red dot onto the center of the area being measured that identifies the spot being measured, but plays no part in the measurement. The actual angular area being measured varies among instruments and is not restricted to the visible spot.

Related equipment, although not strictly thermometers, include infrared scanning systems and infrared thermal imaging cameras. Infrared scanning systems scan a larger area, typically by using what is essentially a spot thermometer pointed at a rotating mirror. These devices are widely used in manufacturing involving conveyors or "web" processes, such as large sheets of glass or metal exiting an oven, fabric, and paper, or continuous piles of material along a conveyor belt. Infrared thermal imaging cameras or [[Thermographic camera|infrared cameras]] are essentially infrared radiation thermometers that measure the temperature at many points over a relatively large area to generate a two-dimensional image, called a [[Thermography|thermogram]], with each pixel representing a temperature. This technology is more processor- and software-intensive than spot or scanning thermometers, and is used for monitoring large areas. Typical applications include perimeter monitoring used by military or security personnel, inspection/process quality monitoring of manufacturing processes, and equipment or enclosed space hot or cold spot monitoring for safety and efficiency maintenance purposes.

A [[photographic]] [[camera]] using [[infrared photography|infrared film]] and suitable lens, etc., is also called an "infrared camera". This only captures the near-infrared and is not sensitive to the thermal radiation from room-temperature objects.

==See also==
* [[ASTM Subcommittee E20.02 on Radiation Thermometry]]
* [[Bolometer]]
* [[Pyrometer]]
* [[Sakuma–Hattori equation]]
* [[Thermographic camera]]
* [[Thermography]]

==References==
((reflist))

== External links ==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20140725223655/http://www.irinfo.org/Articles/07-01-2014-gilbertson.pdf Avoiding Common Mistakes that Can Compromise an Infrared Inspection Program]

((HVAC|state=collapsed))

((DEFAULTSORT:Infrared Thermometer))
[[Category:Thermometers]]
[[Category:NASA spin-off technologies]]

Pages transcluded onto the current version of this page (help):

Infrared thermometer (edit)
Template:Ambox (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Category handler (view source) (protected)
Template:Citation needed (view source) (protected)
Template:Cite book (view source) (protected)
Template:Cite journal (view source) (protected)
Template:Cite web (view source) (protected)
Template:Cleanup (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:DMC (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:DMCA (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Dated maintenance category (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Dated maintenance category (articles) (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Delink (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:FULLROOTPAGENAME (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Find sources mainspace (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Fix (view source) (protected)
Template:Fix/category (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:HVAC (edit)
Template:Hlist/styles.css (view source) (protected)
Template:Main other (view source) (protected)
Template:More citations needed (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Multiple issues (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Multiple issues/styles.css (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Navbox (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Ns has subpages (view source) (protected)
Template:Pagetype (view source) (protected)
Template:Reflist (view source) (protected)
Template:Reflist/styles.css (view source) (protected)
Template:SDcat (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:SUBJECTSPACE formatted (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Short description (view source) (protected)
Template:Short description/lowercasecheck (view source) (protected)
Template:Webarchive (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Arguments (view source) (protected)
Module:Category handler (view source) (protected)
Module:Category handler/blacklist (view source) (protected)
Module:Category handler/config (view source) (protected)
Module:Category handler/data (view source) (protected)
Module:Category handler/shared (view source) (protected)
Module:Check for unknown parameters (view source) (protected)
Module:Citation/CS1 (view source) (protected)
Module:Citation/CS1/COinS (view source) (protected)
Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration (view source) (protected)
Module:Citation/CS1/Date validation (view source) (protected)
Module:Citation/CS1/Identifiers (view source) (protected)
Module:Citation/CS1/Utilities (view source) (protected)
Module:Citation/CS1/Whitelist (view source) (protected)
Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css (view source) (protected)
Module:Delink (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Disambiguation/templates (view source) (protected)
Module:Find sources (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Find sources/config (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Find sources/links (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Find sources/templates/Find sources mainspace (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Message box (view source) (protected)
Module:Message box/ambox.css (view source) (protected)
Module:Message box/configuration (view source) (protected)
Module:Namespace detect/config (view source) (protected)
Module:Namespace detect/data (view source) (protected)
Module:Navbar (view source) (protected)
Module:Navbar/configuration (view source) (protected)
Module:Navbar/styles.css (view source) (protected)
Module:Navbox (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Navbox/configuration (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Navbox/styles.css (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Ns has subpages (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Pagetype (view source) (protected)
Module:Pagetype/config (view source) (protected)
Module:Pagetype/disambiguation (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Pagetype/setindex (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Pagetype/softredirect (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:SDcat (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:String (view source) (protected)
Module:Unsubst (view source) (protected)
Module:Webarchive (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Webarchive/data (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Wikitext Parsing (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Yesno (view source) (protected)

Return to Infrared thermometer.

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infrared_thermometer"