What is Infrared Technology, and how is the technology incorporated into Automatic Door Sensors?

First of all Infrared radiation (IR), sometimes referred to simply as infrared, is a region of the electromagnetic radiation spectrum where wavelengths range from about 700 nanometers to 1 millimeter. Infrared light is invisible to the human eye, although longer infrared waves can be sensed as heat.

We come across this Infrared Technology everyday in our lives, whether it be via the remote control or else walking through an automatic door and remember sending media files from one mobile phone to the other via infrared? As we know this has been largely replaced by WiFi, Bluetooth and the cloud, but the infrared technology in our Automatic Door Sensors is very much here to stay. Why you ask? Simple Answer : SAFETY & RELIABILITY

All objects in the universe emit some level of Infrared radiation, but two of the most obvious sources are the sun and fire. Infrared was discovered in 1800 by William Herschel according to sources in NASA. He did it by placing thermometers in the path of light within each color of the visible spectrum. He observed an increase in temperature from blue to red, and he found an even warmer temperature measurement just beyond the red end of the visible spectrum. Within the electromagnetic spectrum, infrared waves occur at frequencies above those of microwaves and just below those of red visible light, hence the name "infrared."

Hotron has developed Infrared technology ever since 1968, and it was one of the first companies in the world to incorporate this technology into Automatic Door Sensors.

''Active'' Infrared sensors such as the Hotron SSR-3, HR100-CT and 3H-IR14C transmit and measure the reflection levels of this infrared light. They take a snap shot of the reflection levels from the ground. Any change in the properties of the reflected wave will indicate that a person or object is in the detection area, causing the sensor relay to activate and the door to open.

Our Active Infrared sensors are easy to install and adjust. They can detect motion and static presence, and have a high immunity to the negative effects of external influences such as reflections, sunlight and artificial light.

Finally, you may have also heard of Passive Infrared Technology also known as 'PIR', often used in House Alarms and Automatic Lighting Systems well this technology measures infrared light radiating from objects in its field of view. Passive IR (PIR) sensors use a pair of pyroelectric sensors to detect heat energy in the surrounding environment. These two sensors sit beside each other, and when the signal differential between the two sensors changes (if a person enters the room, for example), the sensor will engage.