Telecoms firm leads the way with durable thermal imaging phone

Sunderland-based telecoms and IT company CCS is offering the world’s first thermal imaging smartphone helping businesses across a wide range of sectors and especially useful for public services such as fire brigades and police forces.

The CAT S60, manufactured in the UK by the Bullitt Group under license from Caterpillar, allows users to see in complete darkness and detect heat loss around windows. As well as this the smartphone can also see through smoke, highlight temperature differences and pick up heat and measure surface temperature from up to 50 feet away.

The thermal imaging function is available at the simple touch of a button and can quickly identify gaps in insulation, electrical faults and monitor the performance of machinery. It is even possible to check gas cylinder levels.

The smartphone is waterproof up to five metres for up to one hour and drop proof up to 1.8 metres onto concrete, as well as being dustproof, shockproof and able to withstand extreme temperatures and vibration.

Chris Lee, managing director of CCS, said: “It’s a great coup for us to be one of the first suppliers in the UK to be able to offer the CAT S60. We work with businesses across a wide range of sectors, so the thermal imaging capabilities of the CAT S60 will appeal to a large number of them. We have already seen that it is proving very popular for local fire brigades and police forces.

“It has the potential to be useful across a number of industries thanks to its robustness. Those working in the building industry, for example, will be attracted to it because of this but also its ability to identify electrical faults and measure surface temperature. It could also be very useful to adventurers as the phone has the ability to take photos and videos underwater.

“I was immediately drawn in by the quality, robustness and practicality of the CAT S60 compared to other similar products on the market. In addition, to being almost indestructible and its thermal imaging capabilities, the phone still offers all the other functions that you would expect from a smartphone.”