Temperature Detecting Cameras

With businesses looking at reopening or getting their staff back into the office as the lockdown measures are eased, it would be very useful to have a quick way of finding out if anyone entering the premises may be showing signs of possibly having COVID-19.  While there is no CCTV camera which can diagnose an illness, there are thermal imaging cameras which can tell if a person has a high temperature which is a very common symptom of viruses like COVID-19.  Because these systems are so quick to detect high temperatures and are so easy to use, they are a good investment not just in the current situation but also once it is all over.

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How do they work?

Using thermal imaging temperature screening cameras can detect skin temperature to within 0.3°C accuracy in a second.  AI recognises human faces so it can read multiple people at once and not get confused with other heat sources.  These no contact systems immediately alert operators if they detect that a person has a raised temperature.  Special lenses in these cameras used alongside normal ones can detect heat because they detect light waves in the infrared spectrum, not visible to the naked eye, which allows the user to see how warm or cold something is (yes, like in Predator, we know you’re thinking it).  This is how they can display an image of the person in front of the camera and show how warm their skin is.

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How can they be used?

Obviously, having a high temperature is not a reliable way to diagnose COVID-19 but is a helpful indicator that the person may have the virus.  Further temperature testing is recommended for a start and this could work as a useful way of keeping people with suspected cases of the virus out of your building to prevent them spreading the virus to your employees or customers.  These cameras come in lots of different configurations such as handheld cameras, turret and bullet cameras to suit various applications.  They are currently used in airports around the world as an initial screen for people coming into the country but they could easily be used in offices, train stations, shopping centres, schools, medical centres or anywhere where you would like to prevent people who may have COVID-19 passing it on to staff or other users.

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What applications do they have beyond COVID-19?

Thankfully, this current situation won’t last forever but, fortunately, this equipment has useful applications beyond just assessing if someone might possibly have COVID-19.  In a setting like an office, a school or anywhere where people are working in close quarters, any kind of virus, not necessarily COVID-19, can spread quickly and result in lots of people needing time off to recover.  Being able to identify individuals who have a temperature which could indicate they have a virus like the flu using temperature detecting cameras would enable businesses, etc. to stop them spreading the virus and causing others to be off sick too.

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We cannot claim that these temperature detecting cameras can keep your business safe from COVID-19 but they are a useful tool in identifying if someone entering your premises may possibly have the virus.  As they come in lots of different configurations, we would be glad to advise you on which would be the most appropriate for your application.  If you have any questions about temperature detecting cameras, please give us a call on 01273 782 323 or email sales@brightoncctv.co.uk.