WMUR’S JESSICA MORAN HAS MORE ON WHAT THE CAMERAS CAN AND CANNOT DO.>> THIS COULD BE THE NEW NORMAL, WHAT WALKING INTO SOME PUBLIC VENUES.>> NOW WHERE YOU GET SCREENED FOR METAL OR YOUR I.D., MAYBE NOW WOULD BE ANOTHER POINT O ELEVATED TEMPERATURE READINGS. FLEER SYSTEMS MAKES INFRARED CAMERAS THAT CAN DETECT AN INDIVIDUAL’S TEMPERATURE FROM A DISTANCE. THEY DO NOT RECOMMEND USING THE CAMERAS FOR SCANNING CROWDS. WE WANT TO LOOK AT PEOPLE ONE AT A TIME. WHAT WE’RE TRYIN TO DO IS GET THE TEMPERATURE OF THE TEAR DUCT, THE INNER PART OF THE EYE, THE BEST CORRELATION OF THE BODY TEMPERATURE.>> AND THEY HAVE 200 EMPLOYEES, THE COMPANY SAYS THEY FIRST PROVIDED THE CAMERAS TO AIRPORTS IN ASIA, DURING THE 2003 SARS OUTBREAK AND NOW THEY’RE SEEING A DEMAND GROW HERE IN THE STATES DUE TO COVID-19.>> AS KIND OF THE VIRUS MADE ITS WAY FROM CHINA OVER TO EUROPE AND NOW OF COURSE HERE IN THE STATES, YOU KNOW, WE’RE SEEING THAT SIMILAR ADOPTION, AGAIN, FROM GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, FROM PRIVATE INDUSTRIES, MANUFACTURING, HOSPITALS.>> FLEER SYSTEMS SAYS THEY’RE CURRENTLY WORKING WITH WYNN CASINO, T EMIRATES AIRLINES AND RECENTLY AT THE VA, AND IT’S USING THE EQUIPMENT TO DECIDE THE FIRST STEP.>> WE’LL CALL IT THE FIRST LINE, THE FIRST LEVEL OF SCREENING CAPABILITIES FOR THIS VIR. JEAN: AND IT’S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THE CAMERAS CANNOT DETECT THE ACTUAL VIRUS. THE COMPANY DOES HAVE F.D.A. APPROVAL AND FOR THOSE WHO RAISE CONCERNS ABOUT PRIVACY ISSUES, THEY SAY THE CAMERAS CAN ONLY CAPTURE THERMAL IMAGING. THEY CANNO CAP
NH company sees increased demand for thermal cameras to screen for COVID-19
Manchester VA Medical Center, other facilities use cameras
With the coronavirus raising concerns about safety in public areas, one New Hampshire company is seeing an increased demand for its product: thermal imaging cameras.>> Download the free WMUR appThe cameras can’t detect the virus, but they can take people’s temperatures without getting close to them. The Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Manchester is already using the technology, as is a grocery store in Georgia and other facilities. “Whereas, now, you get screened for metal or your ID, perhaps there will be now another data point of the elevated skin temperature readings,” said Paul Czerepuszko, of FLIR Systems.FLIR Systems’ cameras can detect an individual’s temperature from a distance. The company doesn’t recommend suing the cameras for scanning crowds.”We want to look at people one at a time, because what we are trying to do is we are trying to get the temperature of the tear duct, the inner canthus (corner) of the eye, which is the best correlation of core body temperature,” Czerepuszko said.Since 2011, the company maintained a facility in Nashua with 200 employees. Company officials said they first provided the cameras to airports in Asia during the 2003 SARS outbreak and they’re now seeing demand grow in the United States because of due COVID-19. “As the virus made its way from China over to Europe and now here in the states, were seeing that similar adoption, again from government agencies, from private industries, manufacturing, hospitals,” Czerepuszko said.He said FLIR Systems is working with facilities including Wynn Casino and Emirates Airlines, in addition to the grocery store in Georgia and the Manchester VA Medical Center. When the camera detects a high temperature, it’s up to the organization using the equipment to decide the next step. “We’re just a first line or first level of screening capabilities for this virus,” Czerepuszko said.The company has Food and Drug Administration approval for the cameras. As for privacy issues, Czerepuszko said the cameras only capture thermal images and not detailed pictures in visible light.
MANCHESTER, N.H. —
With the coronavirus raising concerns about safety in public areas, one New Hampshire company is seeing an increased demand for its product: thermal imaging cameras.
>> Download the free WMUR app
The cameras can’t detect the virus, but they can take people’s temperatures without getting close to them. The Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Manchester is already using the technology, as is a grocery store in Georgia and other facilities.
“Whereas, now, you get screened for metal or your ID, perhaps there will be now another data point of the elevated skin temperature readings,” said Paul Czerepuszko, of FLIR Systems.
FLIR Systems’ cameras can detect an individual’s temperature from a distance. The company doesn’t recommend suing the cameras for scanning crowds.
“We want to look at people one at a time, because what we are trying to do is we are trying to get the temperature of the tear duct, the inner canthus (corner) of the eye, which is the best correlation of core body temperature,” Czerepuszko said.
Since 2011, the company maintained a facility in Nashua with 200 employees.
Company officials said they first provided the cameras to airports in Asia during the 2003 SARS outbreak and they’re now seeing demand grow in the United States because of due COVID-19.
“As the virus made its way from China over to Europe and now here in the states, were seeing that similar adoption, again from government agencies, from private industries, manufacturing, hospitals,” Czerepuszko said.
He said FLIR Systems is working with facilities including Wynn Casino and Emirates Airlines, in addition to the grocery store in Georgia and the Manchester VA Medical Center.
When the camera detects a high temperature, it’s up to the organization using the equipment to decide the next step.
“We’re just a first line or first level of screening capabilities for this virus,” Czerepuszko said.
The company has Food and Drug Administration approval for the cameras. As for privacy issues, Czerepuszko said the cameras only capture thermal images and not detailed pictures in visible light.
