Shortwave Infrared Camera Market Size, Share, Analysis 2031

Report Description

Shortwave Infrared Camera Market Outlook 2031

The global shortwave infra-red camera market size was valued at USD 182.71 Million in 2022 and is likely to reach USD 344.48 Million by 2031, expanding at a CAGR of 7.3% during 2023 – 2031. The growth of the market is attributed to the increasing military spending and rising production of papers and automobiles.

Growing production of automobiles is expected to boost the demand for shortwave infrared cameras. Shortwave infrared cameras are deployed in automobiles to achieve significant visibility distance in the dark, offering effective night vision capabilities and reducing the risk of collision. For instance,

• According to the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association, in 2022, an estimated 85.4 million vehicles were produced across the globe, an increase of 5.7% compared to 2021.

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The adoption of shortwave infrared cameras is rapidly rising in a variety of applications, including production inspection, identifying and sorting, electronic board inspection, solar cell inspection, surveillance, anti-counterfeiting, and process quality control. Shortwave infrared cameras provide enhanced images in poor weather conditions, such as fog, haze, and mist, and can be used to see through glass, such as car windscreens, which increases their demand in automobiles and military and defense.

Increasing demand for paper around the world is expected to boost the demand for shortwave infrared cameras. These cameras have short exposure time with an excellent quantum efficiency that observes moisture content in paint pigments, which enhances their deployment in the manufacturing of paper. Therefore, the growing production of paper is propelling the market. For instance,

• According to a report, the global production of paper and cardboard crossed 400 million metric tons in 2020.

The COVID-19 pandemic hampered the shortwave infrared camera market. Manufacturers of shortwave infrared cameras faced several challenges in assembling and manufacturing new shortwave infrared cameras, due to the restrictions on international trade activities and lack of capital and manpower. Additionally, the testing of autonomous vehicles was halted or suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic, which impeded the demand for shortwave infrared cameras, these cameras are deployed in autonomous vehicles to provide safe navigation by detecting objects at long distances. For instance,

• On March 17, 2020, Waymo LLC, a manufacturer of autonomous vehicles, halted the testing of autonomous vehicles in Arizona.

Impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on Shortwave Infrared Camera Market

The implementation of artificial intelligence in infrared technology creates an immense opportunity in the market. AI-powered shortwave infrared cameras enhance the photography experience by automating and refining various functions. It allows scene recognition, auto-focus, object detection, and even post-processing enhancements. AI in shortwave infrared cameras intelligently identifies objects and scenes and optimizes the camera settings accordingly. AI-enabled shortwave infrared cameras detect material types through temperature patterns, which enhances their demand in manufacturing units.

Shortwave Infrared Camera Market Dynamics

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Major drivers

Increasing military spending on technological advancements is expected to boost the shortwave infrared camera market. These cameras are used in the military for surveillance purposes, as they produce high-quality images in obscured conditions and identify lasers and beacons in haze and smoke. This propels the demand for infrared cameras in military applications. Therefore, rising military spending is boosting the market. For instance,

• According to a report published by STOCKHOLM INTERNATIONAL PEACE RESEARCH INSTITUTE on April 24, 2023, global military spending grew by 13% in 2022 and reached USD 2240 billion.

Rapid expansion of healthcare facilities is projected to drive the market. Shortwave infrared cameras are designed specifically for medical imaging and pharmaceuticals, as they provide high-resolution imaging to offer accurate diagnostics. This increases the demand for shortwave infrared cameras in healthcare. Therefore, the increasing healthcare sector is propelling the market. For instance,

• As per a report, the revenue of the healthcare industry is projected to reach USD 85.95 billion by 2027B, expanding at a CAGR of 10.40%.

Existing Restraints

Strict regulations on the import and export of shortwave infrared cameras are expected to hamper the market. International Treaty and Arms Regulations (ITAR), a department of the US responsible for the export and temporary import of defense articles, enforced strict regulations on the export and import of shortwave infrared cameras within and outside of the US. Additionally, shortwave infrared cameras are less effective in low-light situations, as they rely on ambient light to produce images, thereby restraining the market.

Emerging Opportunities

Increasing investment in R&D activities by key players creates immense opportunities in the market. Key players are focusing to develop and introduce shortwave infrared cameras equipped with colloidal quantum dot (CQD) photodiode SWIR and eSWIR detectors. For instance,

• On December 5, 2023, SWIR VISION SYSTEMS, INC., a manufacturer of infrared imaging cameras, announced the launch of Acuros 4 and Acuros 6 shortwave infrared cameras for use in degraded visual environments for a variety of machine vision and inspection applications, such as silicon inspection. Acuros 4 and Acuros 6 are equipped with colloidal quantum dot (CQD) photodiode SWIR and eSWIR detectors and operate in temperatures between -40° and - 85° C.

Scope of the Shortwave Infrared Camera Market Report

The report on the market includes an assessment of the market, trends, segments, and regional markets. Overview and dynamics have also been included in the report.

Market Segment Insights

Scanning Type Segment Analysis

Based on scanning type, the shortwave infrared camera market is bifurcated into line scan and area scan. The line scan segment dominated the market in 2022 and is expected to account for a large market share, due to the ongoing trend towards smart manufacturing and Industry 4.0. Line scans play a crucial role in automated processes, enabling high-precision and high-speed inspection in manufacturing lines. Additionally, line scan cameras record an endless image one line at a time, which boosts their demand for railway and road inspection, satellite imaging, or surface topography scanning.

The area scan segment is expected to grow at a rapid pace during the assessment period, owing to its ease of use and easier to install than line scan. Area scan cameras divide a single image into multiple sections of interest to look for specific objects, which increases their adoption for applications where the object is stationary. Moreover, area scan is used for reading out barcodes, QR codes, lines of text (OCR), and other codes. This increases the demand for area scan shortwave infrared cameras.

Technology Type Segment Analysis

In terms of technology, the global market is divided into cooled and uncooled. The uncooled segment is anticipated to register significant growth in the coming years, due to the growing demand from the military and defense sectors. Uncooled shortwave infrared cameras are less expensive than cooled cameras, as they do not require cryocoolers, which increases their adoption. Uncooled shortwave infrared cameras are compact and do not require to be integrated into bulky, potentially heavy packaging, making them suitable for mobile applications where weight is more important than image quality.

End-user Segment Analysis

Based on end-users, the shortwave infrared camera market is categorized into electronics and communication, aerospace, automotive, medical and healthcare, military and defense, and others. The military and defense segment held a large share of the market in 2022, due to rapid development in defense technology and growing concerns about border security between several countries. Shortwave infrared cameras are valuable assets in war situations, as they produce high-quality images in extreme weather conditions and identify beacons and lasers through haze and smoke. These cameras are utilized for surveillance, night vision, and camouflage identification. This increases the demand for shortwave infrared cameras in the military and defense sectors.

The medical and healthcare segment is expected to grow at a robust pace during the assessment period, owing to the growing incidence of chronic diseases and increasing advancement in medical tools and equipment. Shortwave infrared cameras are widely used in medical and healthcare for deep tissue imaging, as they provide reduced scattering, decreased attenuation, and low autofluorescence. This enhances the adoption of shortwave infrared cameras in medical and healthcare.

Regional Outlook

In terms of region, the shortwave infrared camera market is segregated into Asia Pacific, North America, Latin America, Europe, and Middle East & Africa. North America accounted for a major share of the market in 2022, due to the growing advancements in military technology and the presence of key market players, such as Collins Aerospace, Leonardo DRS, Sensors Unlimited, and Teledyne FLIR LLC. Additionally, increasing military spending in the region is boosting the demand for shortwave infrared cameras, as these cameras are used in the military for surveillance purposes to produce high-quality images in obscured conditions. For instance,

• According to a report, the US spent around USD 876.94 billion on its military services in 2022, which is 40% of the total military spending across the globe.

The market in the Asia Pacific is projected to expand at a high CAGR in the coming years, owing to the increasing concerns about border security between neighboring countries and the growing demand for shortwave infrared cameras from medical and pharmaceutical industries. Moreover, military forces in the region are deploying motion-sensitive cameras and sensors on borders to monitor the activities of enemy forces. For instance,

• On July 27, 2021, the Ministry of Defense of the Government of India released a statement that the Indian Army deployed motion-sensitive cameras and sensors to monitor Chinese activity in forward areas along the line of actual control (LAC). The motion-sensitive camera includes PTZ (pan tilt zoom) based on shortwave infrared technology.

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