There are three significant factors to consider when trying to ascertain the demand for access control with temperature monitoring – economy, virus containment, and post-pandemic usability.
Temperature monitoring systems have become an integral part of the post-COVID-19 world. Standalone thermal cameras were the first to gather market attention. Soon, manufacturers decided to integrate the regular security solutions with these temperature monitors to reduce space necessities and increase convenience.
Access control solutions with temperature monitoring sensors were the result of such an evolution.
Factors driving demand
Integrating biometric physical access control with temperature monitoring features is proving to be a popular solution as COVID-19 continues to disrupt businesses worldwide. In settings like offices and factories where logical access control systems are already in place, installing a biometric access system with temperature monitoring would help minimize the risks of the pandemic.
There are three significant factors to consider when trying to ascertain the demand for such a solution in the market – economy, virus containment, and post-pandemic usability. As a systems integrator or distributor, these factors will prove to be critical in deciding whether to promote access control with a temperature monitoring system and if this will boost your earnings more in the coming months.
Businesses need to reopen
As COVID-19 became a global crisis, governments had just one option – shut down everything and keep people indoors. This helped to some extent, but naturally, it is not a long-term solution. As job-losses began to mount, authorities were forced to reopen the economy in phases, but with COVID-19 guidelines in place.
This meant that businesses had to use devices like thermal cameras and monitor social distancing among employees and customers. So, a solution like integrated access control with temperature monitoring becomes an attractive option to save costs and space.
Biometric identification without contact
COVID-19 has caused a race to set up touchless systems. From buttons in a lift to payment systems, suddenly needed alternative ways to operate without anyone having to touch them. Access control solutions also need to become touchless now. Fingerprint sensors are no longer usable as it requires sanitizing after each reading. This is where the
facial recognition system comes to the rescue.
Facial recognition allows for a fast and convenient process. More importantly, it makes the integration of a temperature monitoring solution easier. The device will be placed more or less at the eye-level of the user, which is what is required for a thermal camera to detect elevated temperatures of people.
Solutions that last beyond COVID-19
Despite the need for solutions that would help survive the pandemic, many customers are yet to make a final purchase decision. This is because there is a lot of uncertainty about the future of COVID-19. Pharma companies are racing to find vaccines at "warp" speed, and an effective cure or vaccine to the problem could make the likes of thermal cameras less critical.
"We believe that the COVID-19 vaccine will be released before this year's end, and COVID-19 will soon be under control, and those solutions will quickly complete its historical mission," said Raymond So, Global Marketing Manager and CEO of ZKTeco HK. "In the near future, only facilities with high-level of technical and sanitary requirements will still need those solutions."
An access control solution that is integrated with a temperature monitoring system would make sense in the long term only if the customer is in an industry that continually requires monitoring employee health, regardless of the threats of a pandemic. The health care industry is an excellent example of this. Hospitals and pharmaceutical companies continuously need to evaluate employee health. For other sectors, such a strict level of monitoring would definitely benefit, but customers have to evaluate the ROI carefully before purchasing.
Choose the right solution
So far, facial recognition has been the most popular biometric modality that is integrated with a temperature monitoring sensor in physical access control systems. The number of vendors who have come up with body temperature access control with facial recognition is not high, which makes product selection a bit easier compared to some other segments. But you will still need to understand several factors to select the best system that leverages the power of biometrics and a temperature scanner.
Selecting a biometric access control solution that has integrated temperature monitoring sensors will help customers save on cost and space. But the integration of any technology is difficult, and only some manufacturers have managed to get it right. Prioritizing the points mentioned in this article will help customers choose the solution that fits their needs.
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