Construction machinery equipment company, CAT, announce the CAT S60 – The world’s first smartphone with an Integrated Thermal Camera

CAT phones, a division of the global construction machinery plant company CAT (which is short for Caterpillar), has announced the worlds first Android 6.0 Marshmallow flagship smartphone with an integrated thermal camera called the CAT S60.

The Cat S60 includes an embedded thermal camera from FLIR, who are the global leader in spectral imaging technology. The inclusion of such a camera in a smartphone can help construction crews and tradies detect heat loss around windows and doors; spotting moisture and missing insulation; identifying over-heating electrical appliances and circuitry; and seeing in complete darkness. Plus its just cool.

The company has said in its blog announcement that the thermal camera visualises heat that is invisible to the naked eye, whilst also highlighting temperature contrasts. The CAT S60 is also waterproof to depths of up to 5 meters for one hour, allowing it to be used as an underwater camera also.The camera can also pick up heat and measure surface temperatures from a distance of up to 50 to 100 feet, and see through obscurants such as smoke. The CAT S60 is being aimed at the market for building professionals, utility workers, outdoor sports enthusiasts, and emergency first responders (Ambulance, Police or the Fire brigade).

Peter Stephens, CEO Bullitt Group, global mobile device licensee for Caterpillar has said:

“To stand out from the crowd in today’s smartphone market requires true innovation and we are proud to partner with FLIR to announce what is truly a world’s first,” and that “The Cat S60 represents a milestone for smartphones. We are excited for thermal technology to be in the hands of Cat phones customers and to discover the myriad of daily time and efficiency use cases it will present for them.”

Andy Teich, President and CEO of FLIR has said that:

“We are delighted to work on the latest Cat phone with Bullitt Group, to integrate our thermal camera into their proven, industrialized smartphone to create a truly innovative and groundbreaking mobile product,” and that “The CAT S60 presents mobile users around the world with new capabilities – a ‘sixth sense’ experience that only thermal imaging can offer.”

The company has said via its announcement that the CAT S60 exceeds military spec, is built to withstand drops onto concrete from up to 1.8 meters, and it’s dustproof as well as waterproof whilst the touchscreen can be controlled with wet fingers or while wearing gloves thanks in part to the latest Corning® Gorilla® Glass 4.

So here is a list of the specs from the run sheet:

• Super bright display (typical 540 nits), Gorilla Glass 4
• 4.7” HD capacitive multi-touch with auto wet finger & glove support
• Optimised battery performance (3800mAh)
• High quality audio experience (>105dB)
• Underwater 13MP main camera with dual flash, 5MP front-facing camera
• 4G LTE
• Snapdragon 617 octa-core processor
• 32GB ROM, 3GB RAM
• Android™ Marshmallow
• Dedicated FLIR thermal camera app with MSX technology; still image, panorama, and video capture; changeable heat palettes; temperature spot meter; and min, max, and average temperature data
• Strengthened Die Cast Frame
• Drop proof to 1.8m, MIL Spec 810G

The announcement comes before MWC 2016 where CAT phones will be unveiling the device, which is due to kick off over the next couple of days, with the CAT S60 being made available to the market place later this year RRP €649 / $599US (approximately AUD$837).