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FLIR Infrared Cameras Help the Search for Swine Flu and other Viral Diseases
Growing international exchange, travel, and economic migration have increased the risk of viral diseases spread. In Mexico many people have recently died after contracting swine flu and the virus has now spread to the US and several European countries. Again the world faces a possible pandemic. As dangerous virus epidemics spread, such as the swine flu, SARS and other viral infections, public health authorities around the world need a fast, easy, contactless, non-invasive and reliable method to detect elevated human body temperature differences. Infrared camera technology is such a method.
An infrared camera is a very effective tool to detect people infected with a viral disease at a very early stage. It produces infrared images or heat pictures which allow displaying even the smallest temperature differences. Infrared thermography provides a visual map of skin temperatures in real time. In addition, infrared cameras are very sensitive devices. FLIR IR cameras measure temperature differences as small as 0.08 ºC.
Infrared - an effective tool to detect elevated body temperature
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The FLIR camera automatically detects the hottest temperature within an area, set by the operator. A color alarm makes it easy to decide whether a person needs further examination or not. |
The symptoms of most infectious diseases are similar – malaise, sore throat, cough and of course fever. Consequently, it is extremely easy to detect whether a person carries the risk of having an infectious disease or not. With an infrared image of the subject it is easy to measure if his/her body temperature exceeds a certain value.
A small investment to protect public health
Airports, hospitals, stations, terminals, etc. all over the world already are using FLIR infrared cameras and have successfully applied this methodology to screen all people entering and leaving the facility. It is a quick and contactless method, which is perfectly safe for both the camera operator and the screened subject. The results are extremely satisfactory.
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A quarantine officer monitors passengers walking through a temperature screening checkpoint at Suvarnabhumi airport April 27, 2009. REUTERS/Sukree Sukplang |
FLIR IR cameras have proven themselves as tools that can be operated by non-specialists after a few hours of training. They enable a quick and accurate scan of a large number of people to trace fever, a major symptom of viral infections.
As some officials have put it, it is a very small investment to protect public health worldwide.
Quickly scanning a large number of people by using infrared cameras with color AND sound alarms
Temperatures are measured by full radiometric infrared cameras. The FLIR IR cameras have built-in functions to measure the highest temperature inside a given field view area. The camera will automatically detect the hottest spot. Its value is immediately displayed on the built-in LCD of the camera or on a connected video monitor. The cameras have also been optimized for fever detection as they recalibrate themselves more frequently. The cameras can be battery-operated or continuously connected to main power. A built-in color alarm function enables an immediate decision whether the subject requires further examination: all areas, which are hotter than a predefined temperature value, can be immediately recognized on the infrared image.
In addition, FLIR cameras are equipped with a sound alarm. If the temperature exceeds a predefined value, a buzzer alarm will go off. A subject activating the alarm can easily be taken aside for further examination on site or in a medical centre.
Infrared and visual image of man with an elevated body temperature. The color alarm clearly shows the parts of the head with a temperature higher than 38°C.
FLIR infrared cameras help prevent the spreading of viral diseases
As the FLIR infrared cameras have built in functions such as color and sound alarms the operator can instantly decide whether the subject needs to be referred for medical examination. As the cameras produce images in real time, at a rate of 50Hz, the total evaluation process takes less than a second. This makes the camera ideal for screening large numbers of people in environments such as airports, stations, department stores or building lobby’s.
FLIR offers portable infrared cameras such as the FLIR T-Series, but also fixed mount cameras like the FLIR A-Series,
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Why use infrared cameras?
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Where can they be used to screen people?
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