Mobotix thermal cameras are among the frontline screening tools to track elevated body temperature currently being deployed in Puerto Rico (LMM International Airport) and throughout Europe by governments, businesses and in other institutional settings in this time of widespread pandemic outbreak.
Using programmable temperature-detection capabilities (explained in more detail below), thermal cameras offer a technological, rapid response solution to enable efficient first-level screening capabilities and identify individuals who should be discretely selected for more precise screening and health assessment.
Vulcan Security Systems in Birmingham is a Gold Level Mobotix Partner with a 10 years of experience in video security systems design, installation and monitoring. Vulcan Security Systems has been installing and monitoring Mobotix thermal cameras for Alabama manufacturing and industrial applications for over 4 years, which means we have the expertise to quickly get a thermal camera system operational for you.
We believe the German-made Mobotix cameras are the best solution because of the engineering quality, security features, and open-source platforms that enable quick programming, customization and configuration. As a Gold Level Mobotix Partner, we’re qualified for special promotions that may save you money or qualify for free technology add-ons, for on new and upgraded installations.
As explained in the presentation slide above (provided by Mobotix), the Mobotix thermal cameras ca be used to remotely detect “any abnormal human body temperature” by measuring infrared energy. We will explain the thermal camera technology and application for body temperature screening in more detail in this article.
As Alabama’s go-to source for Mobotix thermal cameras, we want to help educate Alabamians about how thermal camera technology can discretely and quickly screen individuals based on body temperature and identify those who need testing and/or immediate isolation.
First, we’ll take a look at the contexts and applications where thermal cameras can be used as a frontline screening tool. Then we’ll explain the fundamentals of thermal camera technology.
Specific Applications & Settings
Healthcare
Here in Alabama, thermal cameras could be deployed in hospital emergency rooms and other healthcare settings to more quickly screen prioritize which patients need immediate attention—due to presence of higher body temperatures that correlate with fever and infections.
In nursing homes and assisted living facilities, thermal cameras could be installed at the visitor, staff and vendor entrances to identify visitors with elevated body temperatures who might unknowingly be contagious. Visitors who trigger alerts could be asked to stay away from the facility that day, while employees could be isolated and sent for further testing. Vendors who trigger an alert could be asked to keep a safe distance while staff unloads and/or receives items being delivered.
General Business & Office Operations
The widespread adoption of thermal camera technology across Alabama (and the US) could provide a strong first line of defense that might enable more businesses to remain open and fully operational while also identifying personnel who should be referred for medical evaluation and/or home-quarantine.
Professor Richard Florida recommends using infrared thermometers in workplace screening as a way to minimize spread of Covid-19. Although he is referring specifically to infrared camera screening, the underlying technology and approach would appear to be similar, if not the same. This recommendation is from a Twitter thread published by Professor Florida on March 24, 2020.
K-12 Schools & Daycares
Even when there is not an outbreak of a highly-contagious novel virus, schools and daycare facilities can be hotspots for the spread of all sorts of infections—from mononucleosis and strep throat to general seasonal influenza and MRSA. A single thermal camera at the main entrance could identify students and staff who should be discretely referred to the school nurse for further evaluation. Campus guests could be directed to check with their medical provider and denied access to the school facility.
Event Management & Crowd Monitoring
Whatever your favorite pastime—sports, music, theatre, card collecting, or just visiting the library—nearly all entertainment events have been canceled for the next few weeks (or for the remainder of the season). Nightclubs and restaurants are being asked to voluntarily close or substantially reduce operations.
The economic impact of all of these cancellations, closures and restrictions is enormous. We can see this in the massive sell-off in stocks, but more significantly in the impact on small and medium-sized businesses across the US. When businesses aren’t making sales, they can’t employ workers and when workers aren’t getting paychecks they are unlikely to spend money–even online.
Thermal Camera Technology For Infectious Disease Screening
Optical vs. Thermal Imaging
If you remember a tiny bit of high school science, you probably have a basic understanding of thermal technology, even if you don’t recall the scientific terminology.
The electromagnetic spectrum is just that – a spectrum or range of waves of matter and energy.
At one end of the spectrum is ultraviolet radiation, then light waves that are visible to the human eye, the progressing on through various stages of infrared frequencies. Heat signatures exist and can be measured at the far infrared range of the spectrum.
Heat sensors on thermal cameras “read” the temperature emitted by objects—whether inanimate objects like a piece of industrial machinery or animate (living beings).
Mobotix’ German-made thermal cameras are engineered to use sensors that allow for precise programming to establish the temperature parameters that would trigger an alert. These can be set to detect body temperatures above a certain threshold, such as levels to indicate the presence of some type of infection that would cause a fever (high or slight).
For example, cameras equipped with thermal sensors are used in high-end veterinary medicine to monitor the health status of racehorses, wildlife in zoos, and even endangered species in nature preserves.
In the human context, the camera could be programmed to identify individuals who may have a body temperature above, say, 100 F. When a person passes through the inspection checkpoint, if the thermal sensor detects a heat signature at or above the threshold, the camera is programmed to signal an alert to the person assigned to monitor the cameras or to an external camera monitoring station.
Depending on the context, the trigger could result in a discrete selection of such an individual for a more precise assessment, such as using an oral thermometer. Individuals who don’t trigger an alert pass through the check-point without interruption and without any further interaction with screening personnel.
As noted at above, thermal cameras are now widely-deployed in Europe and Asia for screening airline and train passengers and other points of entry for customs and immigration screening.
Open Architecture, Advanced Security, Adaptable for Custom Solutions
Mobotix cameras and related security technology use decentralized system architecture for increased reliability, flexibility, and greater security. The German-made cameras undergo the highest level of security testing and use encrypted HTTPS network protocols for data transmission.
It’s also important to reiterate that the cameras are highly-programmable. Up to 20 “fields” can be selected for each camera. These “fields” are simply points of data collection selected by the programmer. Advanced analytics are built in to the Mobotix software, while the open SDK architecture makes it possible to develop customized solutions for context-specific applications.
Vulcan Security Systems Is Here to Help
Thermal cameras have a valuable role to play in detection of many infectious diseases. We hope that COVID-19 virus is contained soon and that vaccines are available in the near future. Regardless of how soon that happens, we will always have a need to screen quickly to prevent outbreaks, even of locally-isolated common illness like general influenza that cause fevers.
Contact Us For Free Initial Consultations
For more information on thermal camera technology–including free initial consultations to Alabama businesses, healthcare providers, governmental agencies, schools and churches—contact us today.
Vulcan Security Systems, LLC
Phone: 205.290.9404
Email: Jason@VulcanSecuritySystems.com
Additional Resources
Alabama Department of Public Health Corona Virus Updates Page: http://alabamapublichealth.gov/infectiousdiseases/2019-coronavirus.html
Johns Hopkins University interactive map tracking Covid 19 cases globally, in US, and by state within US: https://www.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/bda7594740fd40299423467b48e9ecf6
