Using custom thermal imaging to automatically detect elevated body temperature during quick, no-contact, individual screenings.
Considering the global outbreak of the coronavirus (COVID-19) businesses are becoming increasingly concerned about stopping the spread of the virus and are investing in unique technology to help detect elevated body temperatures which may be a symptom of infection. It is very important to note that no thermal camera system can detect or diagnose coronavirus; however, they can be used to identify body and skin temperatures that register above a programmed limit.
SDC developed and programmed a system using a custom C# .NET application consisting of a thermal imaging camera and a Windows 10 PC, for quick, accurate and no-contact, individual temperature screenings. Our system is simple to install in an entryway or high-traffic area and requires one (hands-off) person to monitor results as they are automatically recorded.
How it works:
This system continuously monitors the entire camera frame, when it detects a temperature above a certain threshold, like 80°F, it registers that a person is present. The system tracks the maximum skin temperature of that person while they are in the frame.
If the maximum temperature reading exceeds a programmed limit, a visual and audio cue will alert the system’s operator.
The initial alert limit is set by the operator and is automatically adjusted as each person is screened. As the system operates it will develop a rolling average, calculated as the average of the previous 10-20 people, that will help eliminate environmental factors in skin and body temperatures. For example, a person who has been in a very warm car will likely register with a higher skin temperature than someone who has been in a much cooler car. The system uses this rolling average to more accurately identify outliers.
To avoid possible HIPAA Privacy Rule violations our system does not connect to a database and does not record any information other than temperature. The values are only stored in the PC’s memory and all data is eliminated when the program is shut down.
