Tearing Down And Hacking The T2S+ Thermal Camera

As a seasoned electronics enthusiast, Dmytro had always been fascinated by the InfiRay T2S+, a thermal imaging unit that offered impressive capabilities at an affordable price. Determined to uncover its secrets, he decided to pull it apart and explore what made this device tick.

Pulling the case apart was no easy feat, requiring some spudging and levering to get the components out. But once inside, the build process became surprisingly straightforward. As Dmytro delved deeper into the camera's innards, he discovered some intriguing similarities with another affordable thermal imaging unit, the Flir Lepton. The similarities were striking, suggesting that InfiRay may have borrowed design elements from their competitor.

One component caught Dmytro's eye: a clone of the Cypress FX2LP chip, which is responsible for communicating with USB devices. This was an interesting find, as it suggested that the camera could potentially be modified to work with open-source firmware in the future. However, this would require some careful engineering and programming.

However, Dmytro's excitement was tempered by his discovery of the camera's software limitations. When used with an Android phone, the T2S+ demanded the use of a proprietary app that raised some serious red flags about user privacy. On a regular computer, the camera appeared as a standard webcam, but it failed to self-calibrate in this mode, rendering its thermal measurements useless.

Determined to overcome these limitations, Dmytro set out to hack around them using his technical expertise. He figured out a way to trigger calibrations and run manual image corrections when the camera was used without the smartphone app. This breakthrough allowed him to unlock the full potential of the T2S+, capturing high-quality thermal images that were previously impossible.

But Dmytro didn't stop there. He also explored techniques to improve the resolution of the thermal measurements made by the camera, pushing the boundaries of what was thought possible with this affordable device. His discoveries offer a glimpse into the world of thermal imaging and the endless possibilities for hacking and modifying modern hardware.

Watch the full video tutorial after the break to see Dmytro's work in action!

Thanks to Clint for bringing this interesting project to our attention!