Surveillance Techniques Explained
Heat surveillance uses tools that detect warmth from people, animals, machines, or fires instead of just light or pictures. These methods help spot things in total dark, fog, or smoke where regular cameras fail. They work by sensing infrared energy, which is heat our eyes cannot see.
One main way is thermal CCTV cameras. These cameras pick up body heat from humans or vehicles up to long distances. For example, they guard big open spots like construction sites or factories by finding intruders early, even at night. They also watch for fires by noticing hot spots before smoke shows up. As noted on Clearway’s site, thermal cameras shine for perimeter protection because heat is hard to hide.https://www.clearway.co.uk/news/the-different-types-of-cctv-camera-explained/
Passive infrared sensors, or PIR, are another simple tool. They spot changes in heat when someone walks by, like a warm body moving into a cool room. Homes and businesses use these in motion detectors to trigger alarms or lights. SafeWise explains that PIR sensors are common because they reliably catch movement without needing power-hungry parts.https://www.safewise.com/resources/motion-sensor-guide/
In factories, heat checks keep machines safe. Thermal analytics watch for overheating parts that could break or cause fires. AI pairs with these to send alerts before trouble hits, like in one plant where it stopped a shutdown by spotting hot spots overnight. Hoosier Security details how this proactive watch cuts downtime.https://hoosiersecurity.com/artificial-intelligence/how-ai-assisted-security-helps-detect-safety-hazards-before-they-become-incidents/
Fiber optic sensors measure heat along cables for big areas. They track temperature in real time for pipelines or buildings, streaming data to computers. This fits spots needing many heat points without bulky gear, as covered in a 2026 guide.https://www.fjinno.net/what-is-a-fiber-optic-sensor-for-temperature-measurement-complete-2026-guide/
Machine condition monitoring adds sensors to gear for heat, vibration, and more. It shifts fixes from guesswork to real data, boosting uptime. MachineMetrics notes connecting these to machine controls gives instant health views.https://www.machinemetrics.com/blog/machine-condition-monitoring
These techniques mix with AI for smarter alerts, cutting false alarms by learning normal heat patterns. They protect sites from theft, fires, or breakdowns in ways eyes alone miss.
Sources
https://www.clearway.co.uk/news/the-different-types-of-cctv-camera-explained/
https://www.safewise.com/resources/motion-sensor-guide/
https://hoosiersecurity.com/artificial-intelligence/how-ai-assisted-security-helps-detect-safety-hazards-before-they-become-incidents/
https://www.fjinno.net/what-is-a-fiber-optic-sensor-for-temperature-measurement-complete-2026-guide/
https://www.machinemetrics.com/blog/machine-condition-monitoring
