Infrared inspection system and method employing emissivity indications

A method of analyzing a unit in the form of a device or a structure having differing thermal emissivities at differing regions thereof comprising monitoring infrared emission from the unit with an infrared camera so the camera derives a signal having magnitudes representing the infrared emission from multiple pixels in a field of view of the camera, supplying the signal to a computer storing data representing emissivity and standard temperature of the unit at each of the pixels, the stored emissivity and standard temperature data for some of the pixels of the unit differing from the stored emissivity and standard temperature indication of others of the pixels of the unit, the computer responding to the signal and the stored data by (a) combining indications of the infrared emission from the pixels and the stored data representing emissivity of the pixels to derive an indication of monitored temperature of the pixels, (b) comparing the stored data representing standard temperature of each pixel and the indications of monitored temperature of the pixels, and (c) deriving an indication of the deviation between the magnitude of the standard temperature and monitored temperature at the pixels;

• responding to the indication of the deviation at the pixels for indicating a property of the unit that is related to the deviations at the pixels.