Adafruit
Adafruit MLX90640 24x32 IR Thermal Camera Breakout - 110 Degree FoV
The Adafruit MLX90640 IR Thermal Camera Breakout features a 24×32 array of infrared thermal sensors that returns 768 individual temperature readings over I2C...
Get notified when back in stock
The Adafruit MLX90640 IR Thermal Camera Breakout features a 24×32 array of infrared thermal sensors that returns 768 individual temperature readings over I2C. It's an affordable way to add heat-vision to any microcontroller or Raspberry Pi project — like a miniature thermal camera you can integrate into your own designs.
The sensor measures temperatures from −40°C to 300°C with ±2°C accuracy (in the 0–100°C range) and captures frames at up to 16 Hz. This is the 110° field-of-view version, ideal for wide-area monitoring. The breakout includes a 3.3 V regulator and level shifting, so it works with both 3.3 V and 5 V systems, and features STEMMA QT / Qwiic connectors for solderless I2C wiring.
Key Features
- 24×32 Thermal Array – 768 individually readable IR temperature pixels
- 110° Field of View – Wide-angle coverage for room-scale thermal imaging
- Temperature Range – −40°C to 300°C with ±2°C accuracy (0–100°C)
- Up to 16 Hz Frame Rate – Suitable for motion detection and slow-moving thermal scenes
- I2C Interface – Works with Arduino (SAMD21/M0 or SAMD51/M4 with 20 KB+ RAM) and Raspberry Pi
- STEMMA QT / Qwiic Connectors – Solderless I2C connection with JST SH cables
- 3.3 V and 5 V Compatible – On-board regulator and level shifting
Ideal For
- DIY thermal cameras and heat mapping
- Human/occupancy detection systems
- HVAC monitoring and energy auditing
- Robotics and environmental sensing
Package Contents
- 1× Adafruit MLX90640 24×32 IR Thermal Camera Breakout – 110° FoV
Resources
Jargon buster
Plain-language definitions for the technical terms used above.
- breakout
- A breakout board carries a small or fine-pitched component and brings its connections out to standard, breadboard- and header-friendly pins. Describing a part as a breakout means it can be wired into a project without soldering directly to the component's tiny contacts.
- I2C
- I2C is a two-wire communication bus used by many sensors and small modules. It matters because several I2C devices can share the same two wires, but each device needs a compatible address and your controller must support I2C.
- microcontroller
- A microcontroller is a small computer on a single chip that runs a stored program and controls connected inputs and outputs such as buttons, sensors, displays and communication interfaces. In a device built around one, it is the part that executes the code and coordinates the device's behaviour.
- Motion detection
- The ability to sense that something has moved, either by comparing successive camera frames or by using a dedicated sensor such as a PIR (infrared) or radar module. When a product lists motion detection, movement can be used as a trigger so a system only acts or records when there is activity rather than running continuously.
- Qwiic
- Qwiic is a plug-in connector system for I2C devices that uses small 4-pin cables, so you can connect compatible sensors without soldering. It matters because your controller or adapter also needs Qwiic, or you will need a cable or breakout to wire it up.
- RAM
- RAM (random-access memory) is fast, temporary memory a device uses for working data while it is running; in its common volatile form, its contents are lost when power is removed. Some devices offer a mode that applies settings to RAM only, which is handy for testing changes temporarily because they are not stored permanently and disappear at power-off.
- SAMD21
- The SAMD21 is a Microchip (formerly Atmel) 32-bit Arm Cortex-M0+ microcontroller used in many Arduino-compatible boards. The exact chip affects which libraries, clock speeds and peripheral features are available, so software needs to support the SAMD21 specifically.
- SAMD51
- A family of 32-bit ARM Cortex-M4 microcontroller chips from Microchip, often used to run the main program on a development board. When a board is built around a SAMD51 it generally offers more speed and memory than basic 8-bit microcontrollers, which helps with demanding tasks such as graphics, audio or fast data handling.
- STEMMA
- A plug-and-cable connection system used on some maker electronics boards to make wiring simpler. If a product uses STEMMA, you need the matching cable or connector type to plug it in without soldering.
- STEMMA QT
- A small plug-in connector system for I2C boards that lets you connect compatible sensors and controllers without soldering. It matters because it can make wiring faster and less error-prone, especially when adding several small modules to a project.
Find this product in
Brands
introducing adafruit stemma qt
Document · 1.5 MB · Click any page to view full size
Resources & Downloads
Guides, code examples, and more
Related Tutorials
Free guides on learn.littlebird.com.au
