MLX90640 55 FOV Thermal Camera IR Array Breakout Qwiic Compatible - 7
MLX90640 Thermal Camera (55 FOV)
Overview
Compact thermal imaging sensor module
Captures infrared heat map (not visible light)
Based on 3224 IR sensor array (768 pixels)
Qwiic compatible plug & play I2C connection
Working Principle
Detects infrared radiation (heat) from objects
Each pixel measures temperature independently
Converts IR digital temperature values
Creates a thermal image (heat map)
Key Specifications
Resolution: 32 24 pixels (768 points)
Field of View: 55p
Accuracy: ~1.5C (typical)
Interface: I2C (Qwiic compatible)
Voltage: 3.3V 5V
Current: < 23 mA
Refresh Rate: 0.5Hz 64Hz (programmable)
Thermal Sensitivity: ~0.1K (NETD)
Module Components
MLX90640 IR sensor chip
IR thermopile array (3224 pixels)
Onboard voltage regulator & level shifting
Qwiic / I2C connector (SDA, SCL)
Pull-up resistors for I2C
Features
Generates real-time thermal images
Factory calibrated (no calibration needed)
Works with Arduino, ESP32, Raspberry Pi, Python
Low power suitable for portable devices
Applications
Thermal imaging cameras
Human/occupancy detection
Industrial monitoring & fault detection
Fire detection systems
Smart home automation
Night vision / robotics
Usage Tips
Requires powerful microcontroller (ESP32/Raspberry Pi recommended)
Basic Arduino Uno may struggle with processing
Ensure stable I2C connection (short wires)
Use libraries for thermal image visualization
Advantages
Provides
Compact and easy integration (Qwiic)
Wide temperature measurement range
Limitations
Low resolution compared to real cameras (3224)
Requires heavy data processing
Slower frame rate vs normal cameras
Costlier than basic temperature sensors
Summary
A low-resolution thermal camera module
Detects heat patterns across 768 pixels
Uses I2C interface with Qwiic support
Ideal for thermal imaging, safety, and smart sensing projects