MLX90640 55° FOV Thermal Camera IR Array Breakout Qwiic Compatible - 7Semi
🌡️ MLX90640 Thermal Camera (55° FOV)
🧩 Overview
Compact thermal imaging sensor module
Captures infrared heat map (not visible light)
Based on 32×24 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: 55° × 35°
🔹 Temperature Range: -40°C to 300°C
🔹 Accuracy: ~±1.5°C (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 (32×24 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)
Narrow FOV (55°) → better for longer distance detection
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 true thermal imaging (not just single-point temp)
High sensitivity (detects small temperature changes)
Compact and easy integration (Qwiic)
Wide temperature measurement range
⚠️ Limitations
Low resolution compared to real cameras (32×24)
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
