CAT S60: The First Smartphone with Thermal Camera

As we approach the end of May, next month will see the launch of Caterpillar's new terminal, the CAT S60. This device promises to be the first cellphone with a thermal camera, and it's also super resistant to falls from 1.8 meters high. It can survive underwater up to 5 meters for an hour with the speaker covers closed, and 2 meters by default.

The development of each terminal costs approximately one to one and a half million in research, to deliver a quality product that meets CAT users' expectations. It has an IP68 certification, which is the highest for air particulate and liquid protection. The processor is a Qualcomm MSM8952-3 with four 1.5GHz cores and four 1.2GHz cores, 3GB of RAM, and it runs on Android 6.0 Marshmallow.

The battery is 3800mAh and it has a 4.7" screen with 1280x720 resolution, which in my opinion has excellent duration given the screen size and amperage, enough to get the most out of it and make it home. It features the highest protection from Corning® Gorilla® Glass 4, which is also used in high-end phones. It has 4G connectivity and comes in two versions: European and American.

Thermal Camera

The phone features a thermal camera, which is its biggest novelty. This could start a new trend, as currently there's no major need for it among domestic users. In the fire department I belong to, they started using FLIR™ thermal cameras last year for search and documentation tasks. It would be interesting to compare this device with specialized cameras for fire and rescue work, although it has a maximum working temperature limit of 55°C.

Caterpillar recommends its use in:

Electrical repairs
Pipe tracking
Cooking and food
Crops
Even for bathing your child

But I believe that once in the market, many functionalities will be found, especially for very technical people in industrial or security fields. We should also remember that as it's a thermal camera, it can see in the dark. Flir isn't the first attempt to reach a mass and end-consumer market; there were previous models that could be adapted to your iPhone or Android for about $200.

For my use, I think it would be incredible in gathering information after an emergency and as a first response in very specific uses that don't involve high temperatures. Also for fire training and controlled environments where you can capture the training and improve firefighting techniques. It could be used in vehicle rescue to project how the person impacted and also in structural rescues to find the possibility of life under debris.

In my opinion, the ergonomics could have been better by avoiding the FLIR brand logo on the top as it loses the phone's symmetry, and also by equipping it with wireless charging to avoid having to open the USB flap as it wears out over time. It seems like a terminal that already has a very well-defined market and many are already waiting for this new terminal. Caterpillar should conduct a campaign in search of new applications for the included thermal camera; it can create a new trend and increase its market. The price is $599 US dollars. I hope to have a CAT s60 terminal and give you a more complete review and the application of its camera in my daily life.

I leave you the link to the official page CAT S60

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