How to use your mobile phone as a thermal imaging camera

With the necessary small change, you can turn your mobile phone into a thermal imaging camera. In addition to the fun factor, the main advantage is of course the usefulness – for example in detecting cold bridges.

Using your Android and iOS smartphone as a real thermal imaging camera

There is hardware that can turn your phone into a real thermal imaging camera. Popular representatives are for example the “Seek Thermal” and “FLIR ONE”.

• The “Seek Thermal” costs around 290 euros; the “FLIR One” costs around 250 euros.

• Both thermal imaging cameras are simply plugged into the smartphone and work with a special app that shows the actual temperatures on the display.

• The Seek Thermal is smaller and works with one camera, while the FLIR One is chunkier and has two cameras built in.

• For home use to detect thermal bridges or damp spots, these gadgets are quite useful and allow a new look at building conditions.

Smartphone: Simulate a thermal imaging camera – These apps simulate a thermal image

If the focus is more on the fun factor for funny selfies or similar, there are various apps in the store for Android and iOS that simulate a thermal imaging camera.

• For example, the app “Thermal scanner camera VR” is recommended for Android. The app comes with different colour palettes for mock thermal imaging and you can also create your own colour palettes.

• For iOS devices, there is an app called “Night Vision Flashlight Thermo” that uses filters to simulate a thermal image.