Thermal Scanners: What They Do and Who Needs Them

What is a thermal scanner? The easiest way to describe a thermal scanner is to say that it is a portable electronic device that can be found small enough for one person to carry or large enough to require the help of automated transportation. The function of a thermal scanner is to measure the unseen differences in temperature in the air or on a surface with regards to its surroundings. Imagine a pan full of cold water. If you were to poor a small cup of warm water into the pan, a thermal scanner could record the change in temperature as the warm water spreads into the cold water.

A thermal scanner can be used for hunting ghosts.

Many ghost hunters use thermal scanners to track fluctuations in the air as they investigate a room or outdoor area. A thermal scanner will not actually record the image of a ghost, but it will describe the area where one could be. Keep in mind that some ghosts may not have enough mass to actually disturb the ambient air around them, and relying on a thermal scanner to prove the existence of ghosts to skeptics may not be effective.

A thermal scanner can help track water pollution.

Many pollutants have a slightly different temperature than the water they are found in, and a thermal scanner is the perfect tool to track them or even trace them back to the source. If you are going to use a thermal scanner to measure the water temperature of lakes or rivers, you will need a more powerful one than most ghost hunters will have. Fortunately, thermal scanners can be large enough to fit onto a plane and perform the measurements from the air.

Doctors can use a thermal scanner.

Sometimes a doctor can use a thermal scanner to measure the temperature of a patient's spine. Problem areas in a person's spine such as breaks can cause an increase in temperature along the damaged area. A thermal scanner can help determine how severe the problem is and where exactly it is.

Emergency personnel may have a need for a thermal scanner.

Fire fighters can use a thermal scanner to find the best spot to make a hole in a wall, or if a door is safe. Other emergency units can use a thermal scanner to point out people with contagious viruses that increase a victim's body temperature.