Yesterday, I had to go to the bank with the branch located in a building where they closed all doors except one in order to make sure all people were wearing masks, check their temperature, and let them wash hands with alcohol hand gel.
Those are good preventive measures to slow the spread of SARS-CoV-2 virus, but in case many people visit a location that’s also time-consuming. I’ve just come across a system that should speed up the process, as it can check forehead temperature of people as they walk by, using a camera and artificial intelligence for face detection, and an IR camera/thermometer to report temperature.
Remote AI temperature screening system specifications:
- SoC/Memory/Storage – Don’t know, but I would not be surprised if it was based on RK3399 since Rockchip often promotes AI use cases for this processor.
- External Storage – MicroSD card, USB drive
- Video Output- HDMI 2.0 output
- Connectivity – Ethernet & WiFi with external antenna
- Camera
- Resolution – 1920 x 1080
- Focal Length – 8mm
- Temperature Monitoring
- Temperature Range – 20 ~ 45
- Accuracy – ≤ ±0.3°C(target temperature: 32°C~42°C)
- Measuring Duration – < 500ms
- Measurement Distance – < 3m (optimal range: 1~1.5m)
- Temperature Correction – Real-time auto-correction with embedded black body
- NETD (Noise Equivalent Temperature Difference) – 60mK (milli-Kelvin)
- USB – 1x USB 3.0 port, 1x USB 2.0 port, 1x USB Type-C port
- Dimensions – 151.5 x 120 x 96 mm
- Temperature Range – Operating (Optimal) – 16°C~ 32°C; Storage – -20°C ~ 60°C
- Humidity – <90% (non-condensing)
The software run in the device enables face detection and recognition, temperature screening, abnormality alert, data display, and an API is also available to access data from a third-party data platform. You can watch the demo below with the system connected to an HDMI TV.
There’s also a back-end software that allows for personnel management, temperature collection and algorithm, abnormality alert setting, attendance management, device management, and location management of multiple devices.
In order to ensure proper accuracy, the AI temperature screening system needs 20 minutes to adjust to room temperature, and require 5 minutes after booting up for self-calibration. It may not work very accurately when the ambient temperature is over 32°C, or under 15°C and exposure to sunlight should be avoided. People can still wear face masks, but they should remove hats or caps to be measured.
Seeed Studio sells the system for $6,999. That’s quite higher than I anticipated, but a lot of the costs may be due to the IR camera/thermometer, or maybe somebody is trying to profit from the COVID-19 pandemic… In case your country’s customs or authorities believe this is somehow a medical device, there may be issues as well. For example, COVID-19 testing machines were imported to the US a little while ago, but the FDA did not allow doctors to use them since they were not approved.
Jean-Luc started CNX Software in 2010 as a part-time endeavor, before quitting his job as a software engineering manager, and starting to write daily news, and reviews full time later in 2011.
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We should probably see more of those temperature screening solutions pop-up, as I’ve just received an email from ARBOR about the topic.
https://www.arbor-technology.com/gl/Solution/Sol/Content/Healthcare/Epidemic-Prevention
Their system also detects masks, so they can prevent people with fever and/or without mask from entering a building.
Can you provide some links/descriptions for cheap Chinese thermal cameras (for developers)? The worst scenario painted by the media here is to last at least another three or four more months.
It will depend on your requirements. I wrote about a few low cost options in the past:
https://www.cnx-software.com/2016/11/29/grid-eye-breakout-board-is-a-49-low-resolution-thermal-camera-module/
https://www.cnx-software.com/2019/06/04/hti-ht-102-low-cost-thermal-camera-for-android-phone/
But the prices may have increased or availability may be poor due to high demand.
By the way, it’s very difficult to estimate how long COVID-19 will last by the way. The Spanish flu took place over 2 years in three waves. The chart below is for the UK:
I’ve found a cheaper AMG8833 break-out (865 pieces available ) on Aliexpress. ~$30.00.
~ 2.5 accuracy is somewhat too high. Anyway, a 2 dozen celebrities, politicians and government’s members got infected by COVID-19 and the death rate among those is…. ZERO,nil,nada, ноль, nul, zéro. Lucky people.. 🙂