In the wake of covid-19, there’s been a surge in demand for body temperature camera solutions for temperature screening purposes. Selection and installation of these cameras should be done properly to get optimal results.
In the wake of covid-19, there’s been a
surge in demand for body temperature camera solutions for temperature screening purposes. Selection and installation of these cameras should be done properly to get optimal results.
Body temperature camera demands rise
Needless to say, covid-19 has become a pandemic. As a main symptom of the disease is fever, end users have begun to implement temperature screening by way of thermal body temperature cameras, whose demand is now seen in various vertical markets.
“Now, FLIR is hearing from a wide range of customers including health facilities, warehouses, factories, all levels of government and virtually any place where large groups of people gather, including entertainment venues such as museums, stadiums and theme parks,” said Chris Bainter, Director of Market Strategy for Industrial Technologies Business Unit at
FLIR Systems.
Body temperature camera usage
A body temperature detection camera should not be used as a medical, diagnostic tool that determines whether someone is sick or not. Rather it should be used for adjunctive screening. Even so, various requirements must be met for body temperature measurement purposes.
“Product must be CE marked or USFDA 510k, product must be produced in accordance to ISO 13485 or equivalent, and production must be in accordance to EU standards, ISO 9001 or equivalent,” Bainter said.
Body temperature camera selection
A key to a successful body temperature camera implementation is selection of product, which must meet some basic requirements. “The camera must free of errors and false alarms, it must be A/C- or battery-enabled, it must conform to electricity voltage for different countries, and it must be durable,” said Philip Babajide Edu, Director of Corporate Warders.
It should be noted that, as some manufacturers may make certain claims or make their datasheets look good, real testing in different environments is recommended. “It’s important to have demonstrable testing in your multiple operational environments – day/night, hot/cold, inside/outside, dirt/dust, lighting, speed/orientation of moving targets – not just manufacturer cut sheet,” said Art Kosatka, CEO of TranSecure.
"As a consultant, the best product would be based on conformance of technical criteria and the results of a product demonstration. It’s advisable not to select these products solely off a cut-sheet, which can be doctored based on environmental factors to describe functionality that may not be possible within actual field conditions. The proof is in a product demonstration," said Sean Ahrens, Security Market Group Leader at
Affiliated Engineers.
Body temperature camera installation
Once the body temperature camera is purchased, the next step is installation which must be done properly to get optimal results. Having the camera take good images is important. Distance needs to be taken into consideration as well. “In order to obtain a good temperature reading, it is recommended that the intended target be as close to the camera as possible (with respect to the camera's minimum focus distance). The location of the camera may require a different lens,” Bainter said.
Integration Is Key
Once the body temperature camera is installed, chances are it needs to be integrated with other security subsystems. One example of
integration is with access control. “The thermal camera must be part of an entire system that allows the user to react to elevated temperature. The system needs to be able to prevent access to a secure area as well as providing alarm notification to the users,” said Bob Mesnik, President of Kintronics. “We recently introduced a version of a body temperature device that can be used with other door access control systems.”
A note on privacy
Privacy, meanwhile, is another important consideration to make. “The camera solution must protect privacy. There must be a notice of its presence to the passerby. They must not be intimidated by its presence," Edu said.