Although the main concepts of the devices are similar, using this design allows for the advantages of the TFT to be utilized. Some benefits include tuning of the resistance and activation energy and the reduction of periodic noise patterns. As of 2004 this device was still being tested and was not used in commercial IR imaging. Advantages They are small and lightweight. For applications requiring relatively short ranges, the physical dimensions of the camera are even smaller. This property enables, for example, the mounting of uncooled microbolometer thermal imagers on helmets. Provide real video output immediately after power on. Low power consumption relative to cooled detector thermal imagers. Very long mean time between failures. Less expensive compared to cameras based on cooled detectors. Disadvantages Less sensitive (due to higher noise) than cooled thermal and photon detector imagers, and as a result have not been able to match the resolution of cooled semiconductor based approaches. Performance limits The sensitivity is partly limited by the thermal conductance of the pixel. The speed of response is limited by the thermal heat capacity divided by the thermal conductance. Reducing the heat capacity increases the speed but also increases statistical mechanical thermal temperature fluctuations (noise). Increasing the thermal conductance raises the speed, but decreases sensitivity. Origins Microbolometer technology was originally developed by Honeywell starting in the late 1970s as a classified contract for the US Department of Defense. The US Government declassified the technology in 1992. After declassification Honeywell licensed their technology to several manufacturers. Manufacturers of microbolometer arrays Xenics BAE Systems DRS Technologies Teledyne FLIR Systems Teledyne Dalsa Fraunhofer IMS GUIDEIR Honeywell (Manufactured for Infrared Solutions) Institut National d'Optique (INO) L-3 Communications Infrared Products InfraredVision Technology Corporation (affiliated with L-3) Mikrosens Electronics Inc. NEC Opgal Optronics Qioptiq Raytheon SemiConductor Devices Seek Thermal LYNRED (ex Sofradir et ULIS) References Notes External links Technology Overview Microbolometer Detectors Radiometry Particle detectors Image sensors Infrared imaging ja:ボロメータ#マイクロボロメータ