The Use of Thermal Imagery for Intrusion Detection in a Public Transit Environment

Thermal imagery (or thermography) was once only used in military, scienfitic and industrial applications due to the cost and complexity of the equipment involved. Not anymore. Thermal imagery is now used in an ever growing range of applications. This paper will focus on the use of thermal imagery in public transit as a means for detecting intrusion into the train way. This paper will review the basics of thermal imagery, examine why its use is expanding, and assess its utility for public transit. A pilot demonstration program using thermal imagery for track intrusion detected will also be discussed.