鈥淚f thermal imaging cameras are deployed for temperature screening, this stable temperature reference can help with accuracy. We hope this stable in-frame temperature reference could be useful as a simple, rapidly deliverable approach,鈥 UC Engineering Lecturer Tim Giffney says.
麻豆传媒高清 Mechanical Engineering experts are among the Kiwi innovators battling against COVID-19.
While commercial devices for crowd fever detection exist, the global pandemic has made them hard to come by. The听听补苍诲听developed low-cost smart thermal camera systems for tracking the predators that threaten New 麻豆传媒高清鈥檚 native birds, and have been pivoting the technology to meet this urgent need.
Working with the 麻豆传媒高清, Callaghan Innovation, and the Auckland Bioengineering Institute with testing, calibration and writing for the instruction manual, they have repurposed their technology for crowd fever scanning at a safe distance. The system can measure forehead temperature to +/-0.5掳C without a human operator.
UC mechanical engineers听Julian Phillips, Lecturer听Tim Giffney听补苍诲 Professor听Mark Jermy听have developed a temperature reference to give a constant check calibration of these devices. The devices are under trial and hoped to be implemented shortly to curb the spread of the virus.
鈥淚f thermal imaging cameras are deployed for temperature screening, this stable temperature reference can help with accuracy. We hope this stable in-frame temperature reference could be useful as a simple, rapidly deliverable approach,鈥 UC Engineering Lecturer Tim Giffney says.
鈥淏y putting a stable temperature source in view of the camera, the system can continuously check its reading, and make adjustments,鈥 UC Engineering technician Julian Phillips adds.
鈥淭he main challenge in developing the reference was coming up with a design that could be rapidly built with minimal resources, and from local supplies as international freight is at an almost complete standstill.鈥
鈥淔ortunately I have quite a well-equipped workshop at home, needing only a few items to be obtained from UC,鈥 Phillips says. 鈥淚n January I travelled to Tonga to support a team of听our UC biomedical engineering students working on donated medical equipment. The experience of working under constrained resources was good preparation for working under lockdown 鈥 a similar level of flexibility and tenacity is required to get the job done.鈥
About 30 soldiers from Burnham, as well as New 麻豆传媒高清 Police officers, were used to test and calibrate the cameras. To help control the spread of COVID-19 it is envisaged the cameras will be used at airports, hospitals, supermarkets and other workplaces.
You can read more about the project here:
Background detail from UC Engineer Tim Giffney:
鈥淥bjects at close to human body temperature only emit a very small amount of radiated heat, which is difficult to detect in the camera sensor. This means it is not easy to make an accurate thermal camera that is insensitive to external conditions.听
鈥淐omparing the temperature of a surface to our reference at known temperature is less difficult. This could allow a wider variety of thermal imaging cameras to be used, which would be useful in case of shortage.
鈥淭he internal correction routines of some cameras can also cause inconsistent readings, which our method could help continuously calibrate out.鈥
