Source: Melexis
    On September 11, 2025, Tysondelo Hamm, Belgium - Global microelectronics engineering company Melexis announced that choosing the right non-contact far-infrared (FIR) sensor is quite challenging due to performance and application factors, including the size and distance of the target object. Manual assessment is not only complex and time-consuming, but also may waste development resources. To address this issue, Melexin has launched an online tool called "Distance-to-Spot" to support its MLX90614 product series.

Challenge
    For any specific application, engineers deploying FIR sensors need to consider a series of parameters, among which the field of view (FOV) of the sensor is one of the important factors. However, taking only the field of view as the consideration criterion has significant problems. This overly simplified approach may lead to incorrect sensor selection, and thus fail to meet the required accuracy requirements.

Solution
    Melexin has developed an intuitive visual studio, aiming to simplify its extensive MLX90614 FIR sensor product selection process and ensure that engineers can quickly find the equipment that suits their application requirements.
    When engineers use this tool, they only need to enter the following application information:
    The diameter of the object being measured
    The distance from the object being measured
    The expected temperature range of the object being measured
    The maximum expected temperature difference between an object and its background
    The maximum acceptable temperature deviation resulting from the ratio of the distance from the light spot
    On this basis, engineers can further narrow down the selection range by setting the ideal supply voltage and whether medical-grade precision is required. Subsequently, the tool will recommend the appropriate sensor based on the parameters of each device.