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Can a thermal camera see through clothes?
When you own a thermal camera smartphone, you can use it to do many things, such as judge people’s emotional changes. For the question of see through clothing, to be precise, the thermal picture you saw is just an image of heat distribution, you can’t see what’s the target looks like. If you see a person by using the thermal camera, you will see the result as the picture show. You can only see the rough outlines, not the outlines of human body parts. Therefore, the thermal camera can’t see through clothes.

Can a thermal camera see through walls?
You may have seen the agent see through walls by using the thermal camera in some films, but we are so sad to tell you, that’s not the case at all. If you see the wall by using the thermal camera, you can see nothing, not to mention the other side of the wall. The thermal camera sensor can’t receive the heat reflection from the thick wall, if the wall doesn’t exist a significant temperature difference.
Thermal cameras can only see through walls in certain situations. For example, they can see through walls that are made of materials that do not block infrared radiation, such as drywall or wood. However, they cannot see through walls that are made of materials that block infrared radiation, such as concrete or metal.
In another example, if there is a significant temperature difference between the two sides of the wall, the thermal camera may be able to see through it. However, if the temperature difference is small, the thermal camera will not be able to see through the wall.
Additionally, the thickness of the wall can also affect how well a thermal camera can see through it. Thicker walls are more difficult for thermal cameras to see through. And the distance between the thermal camera and the wall can also affect how well it can see through it. Thermal cameras are more effective at seeing through walls that are closer to them.
Here are some other specific examples of when a thermal camera can see through walls:
- If there is a fire on the other side of the wall, the thermal camera will be able to see the heat from the fire.
- If there is a person or animal on the other side of the wall, the thermal camera may be able to see the heat from their body.
- If there is a hot water pipe on the other side of the wall, the thermal camera may be able to see the heat from the pipe.
See also, What Phones have a Thermal Camera?