How to turn simple webcam into an infrared camera
From ArticleWorld
By following these steps, you can turn a regular webcam into an infrared camera
An infrared camera is mostly similar to any camera, including regular webcams. Its ability to "capture" radiations with a wavelength close to infrared is what sets it apart from other cameras, and you can turn any regular webcam into such a camera. You will only need two small pieces of black photographic negative.
Procedure
- Open the webcam case and unscrew the lens (or the entire lens assembly, depending on the model) from the PCB.
- On the back of the lens you will find a small piece of glass that looks as if it is reflecting red light. Remove it and cut two pieces of black photographic negative, making sure that they are exactly the same size as the glass you have removed earlier.
- Put the two pieces instead of the glass and re-assemble the camera.
- You can now use it as an infrared camera with limited capabilities. If you use daylight or incandescent lighting, the webcam will act almost like an infrared one.
Notes
The first thing you should note is that this operation voids the warranty of your webcam, so you should do it only if you do not use the camera or do not need the warranty.
The other thing you must note is that this will not be the night-vision camera you seen in the movies. It works by removing all the radiations of the specter except for those far towards the red end. Therefore, while it may allow you to see objects or radiations normally invisible in the daylight, it is not a fully-IR camera.
You can use a source of infrared light for the camera if you want. The most common source is a simple TV remote control.