LiThermal Thermal Imaging Camera
An open-source thermal imaging camera project based on the Allwinner T113-S3 SoC and the Hikvision TB4117 thermal module. It utilizes Tina Linux for the operating system and LVGL for a high-performance graphical user interface, featuring real-time temperature analysis and video processing.
Overview
LiThermal is a sophisticated open-source thermal imaging camera designed for enthusiasts and engineers who require a portable, high-performance thermography tool. The project integrates professional-grade thermal sensing with a modern embedded Linux platform, providing a feature-rich alternative to commercial thermal cameras.
At its core, LiThermal leverages the Allwinner T113-S3, a dual-core Cortex-A7 SoC, to handle the heavy lifting of video decoding and UI rendering. The thermal data is captured using a Hikvision TB4117 module, which is integrated via a custom PCB and processed to provide real-time temperature overlays and visual analysis.
Technical Architecture
The project is a blend of custom hardware design and advanced embedded software. The hardware stack includes:
- Main Processor: Allwinner T113-S3 SoC.
- Thermal Module: Hikvision TB4117 (configured in NCM mode).
- Power Management: An auxiliary STC8 microcontroller handles power sequencing and battery management to protect the main SoC from voltage irregularities.
- Display: A high-resolution screen driven by the T113’s display interface.
On the software side, the system runs on Tina Linux (an OpenWrt-based distribution for Allwinner chips). The user interface is built using the LVGL (Light and Versatile Graphics Library), which allows for a smooth, smartphone-like experience on embedded hardware. The project also utilizes FFmpeg libraries (avcodec, avformat) for video stream handling and rlottie for high-quality vector animations within the UI.
Key Features
- Real-time Thermal Imaging: High-frame-rate thermal video with adjustable color palettes.
- Temperature Analysis: Automatic tracking of maximum, minimum, and center-point temperatures.
- Advanced UI: A polished interface featuring smooth transitions, animations, and intuitive menus powered by LVGL.
- Custom Power Management: Dedicated MCU-based power control to ensure system stability and safe shutdown/startup cycles.
- Connectivity: Support for MTP (Media Transfer Protocol) for easy file access and ADB for debugging and system configuration.
Development and Assembly
LiThermal is a high-difficulty DIY project. It requires precision soldering of 0402 components and fine-pitch QFP packages. The software build system uses CMake and a cross-compilation toolchain targeting the ARM musl environment.
Developers can customize the camera’s behavior by modifying the LVGL-based application code or adjusting the thermal module’s parameters via a network interface. The project documentation provides detailed steps for flashing the STC8 power management firmware, preparing the Tina Linux boot image on a TF card, and configuring the Hikvision module’s network settings to ensure proper communication with the T113-S3 host.