The TPA81 is a thermopile array detecting infra-red in the 2um-22um range. This is the wavelength of radiant heat. The Pyro-electric sensors that are used commonly in burglar alarms and to switch on outside lights, detect infra-red in the same waveband. These Pyro-electric sensors can only detect a change in heat levels though - hence they are movement detectors. Although useful in robotics, their applications are limited as they are unable to detect and measure the temperature of a static heat source. Another type of sensor is the thermopile array. These are used in non-contact infra-red thermometers. They have a very wide detection angle or field of view (FOV) of around 100° and need either shrouding or a lens or commonly both to get a more useful FOV of around 12°. Some have a built in lens. More recently sensors with an array of thermopiles, built in electronics and a silicon lens have become available. This is the type used in the TPA81. It has a array of eight thermopiles arranged in a row. The TPA81 can measure the temperature of 8 adjacent points simultaneously. The TPA81 can also control a servo to pan the module and build up a thermal image. The TPA81 can detect a candle flame at a range 2 metres (6ft) and is unaffected by ambient light!
“In this article, we’ll show you how to make a gesture detector by simple components like the PIR sensor and Arduino Nano. At the end of this article you can: - Explain PIR sensor applications and how it works - Run …
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