Infrared Eye-Corner Temperature Estimation for Moving Subjects
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Solution Overview
Problem
Infrared thermography struggles to accurately measure body temperature changes in situations where the line of flow is not fixed, such as during exercise, due to subject movement, and contact-type sensors cause discomfort and physical issues.
Innovation Solution
A body temperature estimation device with a holding mechanism, infrared sensor, estimation unit, correction unit, and display control unit that estimates body temperature from inner eye corners and corrects measurements using the difference between left and right eye temperatures, displayed on a transparent liquid crystal display.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If infrared thermography is used to measure body temperature in dynamic situations, then non-contact measurement is achieved, but measurement precision deteriorates due to subject movement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the measurement system adaptable to moving subjects. The infrared sensor is mounted on a head-mounted holder that moves with the subject, and the system dynamically tracks the eye region through image processing even as the subject moves their head or blinks, maintaining measurement accuracy throughout the measurement period
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback by continuously monitoring the temperature difference between left and right eye corners and using this information to correct the body temperature estimation. The system adjusts the measurement based on real-time temperature variations detected during the measurement process, compensating for movement and environmental factors
2Measurement precision
If contact-type temperature sensor is used to monitor body temperature during exercise, then measurement precision is maintained, but harmful factors increase due to reduced ventilation and skin discomfort
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical contact-type temperature sensor with an optical measurement system. Instead of physically contacting the skin to measure temperature, the system uses an infrared sensor to detect thermal radiation from the eye corners, eliminating mechanical contact and its associated harmful effects while maintaining measurement capability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary approach by measuring the temperature of the eye corners (inner corners specifically) rather than directly measuring skin temperature. The eye corners serve as an intermediary target that reflects body temperature changes without requiring direct contact with the skin, thus avoiding the harmful effects of contact sensors
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables accurate non-contact measurement of body temperature changes even in dynamic situations, avoiding discomfort and physical issues associated with contact sensors.
Implementation Method 1
an infrared sensor that is provided in the holding mechanism and two-dimensionally measures a distribution of infrared rays emitted from a surface of the face of the subject
Implementation Method 2
The infrared thermography receives energy radiated from an object and obtains the temperature of the object based on the Stefan-Boltzmann's law
Data Source
AI summary
An estimator estimates the body temperature of a subject from the temperatures of the inner corners of the eyes in the temperature information obtained from a measurement result of an infrared sensor. The infrared sensor two-dimensionally measures the distribution of infrared rays radiated from the surface of the face of the subject including the inner corners of the eyes of the subject, and the estimator obtains a temperature distribution from the data of the distribution of the light intensity of the infrared rays and identifies the inner corners of the eyes from the obtained temperature distribution to estimate the temperatures of the identified inner corners of the eyes as the body temperature. A corrector corrects the body temperature estimated by the estimator by the difference between the temperatures of the inner corners of the left and right eyes in the measurement result of the infrared sensor.