Infrared starter kit for university and commercial R&D

This entry is part 20 of 31 in the series Electronic Specifier Insights

Paige West speaks with Matthew Hasty, Senior Global Product Manager at FLIR about the launch of the FLIR MIX starter kits.

The conversation delved into the challenges researchers face with traditional imaging systems, the innovative solutions offered by FLIR, and the transformative impact of multispectral imaging across various sectors.

FLIR, now part of Teledyne, has long been recognised as a specialist in infrared technology. Originally founded to pioneer forward-looking infrared (FLIR) systems, the company has expanded its reach into defence, industrial, and commercial markets. As Hasty explained, FLIR’s mission is to empower professionals and researchers with tools that reveal the invisible world of heat, revolutionising everything from military night vision to predictive maintenance and life-saving missions.

The centrepiece of the discussion was the FLIR MIX – short for Multispectral Imaging Experience. Released earlier this year, FLIR MIX addresses a longstanding dilemma for researchers: the need to choose between visible light and thermal imaging. While visible imaging provides structural detail and context, thermal imaging uncovers heat signatures and dynamic patterns. Traditionally, combining these data streams required complex, custom solutions.

FLIR MIX changes the game by integrating high-fidelity visible and infrared imaging into a single, synchronised data set. This commercial, off-the-shelf solution eliminates the need for manual alignment and post-processing, ensuring that every frame captures both precise thermal data and vivid visual context. The result is a streamlined, real-time system that empowers researchers to visualise and analyse their experiments with clarity.

FLIR offers a range of starter kits tailored to different research needs. The X Series starter kit, for example, is designed for high-speed research environments, capable of capturing imagery at up to 1004 frames per second. This is crucial for applications like dynamic testing and battery analysis, where missing a single frame could mean overlooking a critical event.

The A Series starter kit, on the other hand, is optimised for electronics design, renewable energy, and university research. It features robust thermal cameras and microscopic lenses, making it ideal for capturing thermal anomalies in real time at the component level.

A standout feature of the FLIR MIX ecosystem is its software, Research Studio. The platform supports ‘static mix’, allowing users to overlay static visible images onto live infrared feeds – a powerful tool for electronics testing. Research Studio is designed for global collaboration, offering multi-platform support, export options to third-party analysis tools like MATLAB and Python, and a free player for broader team access.

Hasty emphasised that FLIR’s approach democratises advanced imaging technology, making it accessible to university students, researchers, and industry professionals alike. By simplifying data integration and enhancing analytical precision, FLIR MIX accelerates discovery and innovation across fields such as defence, material science, renewable energy, and electronics design.

To hear more from Matthew Hasty, you can listen to Electronic Specifier’s interview on Spotify or Apple podcasts.