I know this is old but there's scarce information and I wanted to stop by and share, and warn users, of what I know of these cameras.
I don't know what model of camera schui was using but I purchased one of FLIR's automation cameras (A310). The device itself is useless, it's a joke. It comes with a few programs that show you all the colourful stuff you are shown in expos, but nothing more. No libraries, no tools, technical manuals. No warnings anywhere of that you have to purchase an API from FLIR in order to make anything with these cameras.
There's no way and there's no workaround to communicate with the camera and do whatever you want with it if you don't buy this API. You can't implement the camera in your code without it. You can't either call an external library. I'm honest here, I even tried low level language. The camera is nothing but a paperweight if you aren't willing to pay some more.
I guess this is where he was stuck, he not having tools to control the camera or to obtain the image and send it by email automatically.
But it doesn't stop here; after purchasing the API and developing code with it, turns out the camera capture rate isn't the same. It ranges from 5ms to 400ms. I spent eight months (I got no support from FLIR) trying to find a solution, for what I needed to analyze was in motion. I ended up adapting the whole installation for the camera. It's unbelievable, I know.
If you are asked to implement a thermal camera that needs to be communicated with a PC application or a PLC, or anything that requires automatical and independent processing, stay away from FLIR. All the time I wasted on it I won't be given back. The advice I can give is to spend all the time you can researching and trying out different cameras, and getting deep inside them. Get to know them well before purchasing.
