LaskaKit MLX90641 Thermal Camera Module 16×12px 55°x35°

Product detailed description

LaskaKit MLX90641 is a compact thermal camera module based on the Melexis MLX90641 infrared array sensor. Each frame provides 192 actual temperature values (16 × 12 px array) at up to 64× per second via the I²C bus – non-contact, without additional optics and without the need for calibration. Point it at a PCB, motor, distribution board, radiator, 3D printer, or a face to get the temperature of every point in the scene. Typical applications include locating overheating components, presence detection and people counting, checking for heat leaks, machine monitoring, robotics – or simply as a home thermal camera with a display.

Why a module instead of just the sensor:

• No soldering required: the sensor in a TO-39 package is already mounted on a board with proper power blocking and I²C pull-up resistors.
• μŠup Connector (Qwiic, easyC, STEMMA QT): connect the module to any of our boards using a single four-wire cable, without soldering and without wires in a breadboard.
• Solder pads for 2.54 mm headers: if you still prefer a breadboard or your own PCB, simply solder a straight or right-angle 4-pin header.
• Mounting holes: secure the camera exactly where it needs to look – it won't just dangle from the cable.
• Working example code: sketch for Arduino/ESP32 with output as an ASCII heat map, CSV or JSON, plus a Python script with a live 16×12 heat map, including 640×480 interpolation, a hotspot marker and temperature readout under the cursor.

Specifications:

• Sensor: Melexis MLX90641 (infrared array, TO-39 package)
• Resolution: 16 × 12 px (192 measuring points)
• Field of View (FOV): 55° × 35°
• Temperature measurement:
  • Range: −40 °C to +300 °C
  • Accuracy: typ. ±1 °C (according to the Melexis datasheet)
  • Refresh rate: up to 64 Hz (optional 0.5 / 1 / 2 / 4 / 8 / 16 / 32 / 64 Hz)
• Communication: I²C, up to 1 MHz, address 0x33
• Power supply: 3.3 V (use a level shifter for 5V boards)
• Connectors:
  • Connector (Qwiic, easyC, STEMMA QT): JST-SH 1.0 mm, 4-pin – 3V3, GND, SDA, SCL
  • Solder pads: for 4-pin header with 2.54 mm pitch
• Dimensions:
  • Module: 22.9 × 21.6 mm
• Software:
  • Example code for Arduino/ESP32 and Python visualisation – github.com/LaskaKit/MLX90641-Termocamera
  • Complete thermal camera with touch display for ESPD-3.5 – github.com/LaskaKit/ESPD-35
• Compatible boards: any board with 3.3V I²C, for example:
  • LaskaKit ESPD-3.5 ESP32 3.5" TFT ILI9488 Touch – for displaying thermal images directly on the screen, example code is provided
  • LaskaKit ESP32-S3-DEVKit
  • LaskaKit ESP32-DEVKit V3.0
  • LaskaKit ESP32-LPKit
• Recommended Accessories:
  • μŠup, STEMMA QT, Qwiic JST-SH 4-pin cable – 10 cm
  • μŠup, STEMMA QT, Qwiic JST-SH 4-pin cable – dupont male (for breadboards)
• Alternatives:
  • Melexis MLX90641 Thermal Camera 16×12px 55°x35° – sensor only without the board, if you design the circuit yourself
  • Panasonic AMG8833 Thermal Camera Module 64px – a more affordable module with lower resolution (8 × 8 px) and a narrower temperature range

Package contents:

• 1× LaskaKit MLX90641 Thermal Camera Module 16×12px, FOV 55° × 35°

Note:

• The module operates only at 3.3 V. When connecting to a 5V board, use a logic level converter, otherwise you will destroy the sensor.
• The sensor measures surface temperature based on radiation, so the result is affected by the emissivity of the material – for shiny metals, set the emissivity in the code or cover the surface with matte tape.
• This product is not a standalone functional unit and may require professional installation.
• Product images are for illustrative purposes only and may sometimes differ from the actual appearance of the item. However, this does not change their basic properties.