Fresnel Technologies, Inc. announces the development of low-cost polymer imaging lenses for the 8 to 14 µm passive infrared (PIR) region. Two focal lengths are available: 25mm and 50mm. Both are f/0.8. The development of a 100mm lens is nearing completion.

These lenses are best suited to uncooled infrared cameras with large pixels, for example, 50 µm square.

Plastic lens barrels will be available in the near future for appropriate infrared cameras. In the meantime, we will supply prototype quantities of imaging lenses in aluminum barrels, if you will supply specifications or a drawing of the attachment to your camera.

The price of prototype quantities (up to five) of these lenses is $350.00 each. The price of production quantities of these lenses in plastic barrels will be far lower.

A patent has been applied for.

The movie below was taken during Aerosense 2003 in Orlando, Florida, using the 25mm focal length lens and a Raytheon PalmIR 250 uncooled 8-14 µm camera. It shows the considerable detail that is available with the plastic lens--for instance, the diagonal beams in the ceiling are clearly visible, but were covered by other structures in the actual building. In the early part of the movie, it can be seen that reduced resolution around the edge of the image is caused largely by reflections from the bare aluminum barrel; this can and will be quickly fixed by suitably treating the barrel's surface to reduce these reflections. Toward the end of the movie, the effects of coffee and iced tea on Fresnel Technologies personnel are shown.