There seems to be an almost limitless range of temperature sensors available, from analogue to digital to non-contact and more, and another example is the "thermopile", the device shown below that resembles Sputnik. Poor jokes aside, the TS118-3 model used is a handy sensor that converts the difference between the ambient temperature and the temperature of the object being measured into a voltage - which then can be measured with an Arduino via some simple op-amp circuitry.
It's an interesting tutorial and also a great example of using op-amps with an Arduino, so click here to get started. And for more, we're on twitter and Google+, so follow us for news and product updates as well.
If you're looking to make your own non-contact thermometer without the associated analogue circuitry, check out our Freetronics IRTEMP: module:
It's perfect for contact-less temperature measurement. This is our special version of the industrial infra-red remote thermometer units with an onboard power supply, communication support and a software library and examples supplied. Very simple to use with an Arduino as we have provided a Getting Started guide and Arduino library. For more information and to order, click here.
