NAED member FLIR made a huge
splash at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas on Tuesday, January 7th,
when the manufacturer introduced its new FLIR ONE Thermal Imaging System.
“We’ve
been attending for several years now, so we were able to get space without too
much difficulty,” FLIR CEO Andy Teich told tED magazine. “This is a consumer
oriented product that is highly innovative. CES is the logical place to
launch such a product.”
FLIR ONE’s ability
to see and measure infrared energy gives consumers a versatile new tool that
can be applied in a wide variety of applications. For example, homeowners and
contractors with a FLIR ONE can easily identify heat or cooling leaks in
buildings, find studs in walls, or locate water damage.
“This
product allows contractors to show what’s below the surface in a building.
Find energy loss problems and detect moisture problems,” Teich said. “It will
also show a level of proficiency and differentiation for those who have it and
understand it, versus those who do not.”
FLIR ONE attaches
to any Apple i-Phone 5 or 5s smart phone and displays a live thermal image on
the phone’s screen, giving users the unprecedented ability to see the world in
a way the naked eye cannot, including in complete darkness.
“It
is as easy to attach as a backup battery case,” Teich said to tED magazine. “The
application is incredibly simple and intuitive. I have seen young
children pick it up and capture images and send them to their friends in just
seconds. The average user can attach the case and have it imaging in less than
30 seconds.”
Teich
also reports the contractors who saw the FLIR ONE at the show had an immediate,
positive reaction.
“This
may sound unbelievable, but every contractor we have shown it to thus far has
said ‘I want ONE’. That said, I believe they will see this as a
competitive differentiator to win jobs and thus they may not want all of their
competitors to have one, as it will re-level the playing field,” Teich said.
A worldwide rollout
for FLIR ONE is planned for spring 2014. FLIR ONE houses its own rechargeable
battery that can power the device for two hours of continuous use and can boost
iPhone 5 battery life by up to 50 percent.
“The
reaction from people at the show was overwhelming,” Teich told tED magazine. “Our
booth was packed from start to finish. We will judge the success in two ways –
near term, in how many product pre-registrations we receive and the overall
industry/press reaction and coverage of it. Longer term, one we begin
shipping units to retailers, we will evaluate the sell-through rates and
re-order demands.”
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