CAT unveils the S60, the world’s first smartphone with a thermal imaging camera.
CAT is usually associated with machinery and builders. They have released smartphones in the past that can take a battering which of course cater to their niche of service sector workers. With the S60, CAT are fittinglycatering to their nich even more with a handy thermal image camera.
The thermal camera itself is from Flir, CAT has taken Flir’s thermal camera and built a smartphone around it. The camera is able to capture live thermal images whilst being able to capture video and stills as well. Video quality is only VGA (640 x 480). Whilst their prevoius efforts the S30 and S40 were targetted at those working in the construction industry. The S60 caters to engineers and emergency services workers. A perfect example os use owuld be firefighters using the S60 to search for trapped people in burning houses. Construction workers can use it to check insulations arre properly installed. With CAT taking on thermal technology in a smartphone for the first time, Flir’s thermal camera my show up in other smartphones, causing a new wave of innovation.
Apps and games using a thermal camera is a cool idea and we’re very curious to see it happen. If it ever does. Still, the S60 is a very niche device
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