Now this is a great idea. Thanks to Wolfgang Juchmann at Velodyne for the heads up.
A hardware and software technology company, Essess provides drive-by thermal imaging capabilities that enable utility and government clients to identify energy waste in buildings on an unprecedented scale. While Essess drives on public roads, it uses thermal cameras combined with real-time LiDAR sensors (Velodyne HDL-32E) to capture 3D thermal video of the surrounding environment.
The imaging system consists of a custom-designed multi-sensor rig integrated onto the top of the vehicle. As the vehicle drives, the thermal cameras measure the heat signature of the buildings, and the LiDAR imaging rig captures the structures in 3D on both sides of the car, enabling Essess to image large geographic areas each night. The images are stored onboard the vehicle using a custom-built data recording system and then processed at Essess headquarters in Boston.
This should be a major winner.