Covid-19 has become a global pandemic that has affected millions across the world. This has caused end users to look for touchless security solutions, including intercoms and other access control devices.
Covid-19 has become a global pandemic that has affected millions across the world. This has caused end users to look for touchless security solutions, including
intercoms and other access control devices.
Now a global epidemic, covid-19 has thus far infected over 3 million and killed nearly 300,000. More or less, this has changed the way security is deployed at end user organizations that are seeking to prevent the spread of the disease. More and more entities outside airports, for example enterprises, train stations and other public areas, body temperature cameras are deployed to screen users for fever, while video analytics detecting whether people are adhering to social distancing rules or gathering in off-limits areas have become more in use.
While the covid-19 disease is mainly transmitted over respiratory droplets between people in close distance, there are theories that the virus left on surfaces can also infect individuals who touch them. As such, frequent hand-washing is advised by health experts all over the world.
Against this backdrop, touchless security products have rapidly gained attention. Contactless biometrics, for example facial, iris and even gesture recognition, are seeing stronger demand amid the pandemic. Now, users are also looking at even more contactless possibilities, one of them being intercoms.
Making intercoms touchless
As intercoms require touching by outside visitors, solutions providers are finding ways to make this process unnecessary. Intercomsonline, for example, has solutions that make this possible. The company has a wired option that uses a high-definition speaker that can be mounted both inside and outside; the resident can call the external unit which will auto-answer, or they can attach a sensor to the speaker to trigger a call from the visitor to the indoor unit. Either way the visitor does not have to touch the intercom.
“The COVID-19 virus is spreading across the U.S. and the world. Even when it finally does subside, people will have developed a sensitivity about touching things in public. Since most Intercoms are designed to require a button press to make a call, we decided solutions were needed that don’t require people to touch anything,” the company said.
For room-to-room intercom communications in
homes, Quantometrix has a solution in the form of an auto-answer speaker set that makes possible direct and immediate release of the caller's voice off the speaker while allowing the party being called to directly reply in a completely hands-free or touchless fashion from any location in the room. According to the company, the solution is useful for infants' bedrooms or rooms for the handicapped. Now, with the coronavirus, the solution offers a clean and hygienic option for indoor intercom applications.
Besides intercoms, access control devices are increasingly going contactless as well. One such device is the push-to-exit button allowing people, especially the disabled, to open the door by way of a push of the button. Push-to-exit buttons can be seen on doors, exits and gates and can be useful in residential,
commercial, and industrial buildings. Now, with covid-19, touchless push-to-exit buttons have also become more widespread in end users’ efforts to prevent the spreading of the virus.
Provideo Security, for example, now offers a touchless push-to-exit button that comes embedded with an IR sensor with detection range up to approximately four inches. All the user needs to do is wave their hand in front of the button and the doors will open, with time delay settable from 1 to 35 seconds. The button also has dual color LED to indicate active and inactive status. “Handicap button door openers no longer need to be breeding grounds for bacteria and viruses,” the company said.