Passive Infrared Fever Detection System for Crowded Spaces
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current fever detection methods are inefficient and prone to missing infected individuals, especially in crowded settings, as they rely on manual scanning by a designated person, which can be overwhelmed and may not detect elevated body temperatures in early stages of infection.
Innovation Solution
An Automatic Fever Detection System (AFDS) utilizing passive infra-red thermal detection with forward-looking sensors that automatically identify individuals with elevated body temperatures, providing real-time alerts and video annotations, and capable of normalizing body temperatures for groups to detect statistical anomalies.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual thermal scanning by designated persons is used, then the system is simple to operate, but the detection reliability deteriorates due to operator overwhelm and human error in crowded settings
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical scanning system with an automated optical/thermal detection system. Forward-looking passive infrared sensors automatically detect thermal signatures of individuals with elevated body temperatures, eliminating the need for manual scanning by designated persons. This substitution resolves the contradiction by maintaining operational simplicity while dramatically improving detection reliability through automated, consistent, and uninterrupted monitoring of multiple individuals simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-service detection where individuals are automatically scanned as they pass through the detection zone without requiring manual intervention. The thermal detection system continuously monitors and automatically identifies elevated temperature signatures, allowing the system to serve itself by detecting fevers without human operators. This resolves the contradiction by eliminating operator dependency while maintaining ease of use.
2Device complexity
If manual sequential scanning is used, then the device complexity is low, but the productivity deteriorates due to slow detection speed and inability to monitor multiple individuals simultaneously
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from one-dimensional sequential scanning to two-dimensional simultaneous detection by using an array of forward-looking passive infrared sensors that cover a wide field of view. This allows multiple individuals to be monitored across different spatial positions at the same time, dramatically increasing detection throughput. The system maintains relatively low complexity by using standard infrared sensor arrays and simple thermal threshold comparison algorithms.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements continuous thermal monitoring as individuals pass through the detection zone, rather than discrete sequential scanning. The forward-looking sensors continuously capture thermal signatures, and the system continuously compares temperatures against threshold values, ensuring no individual is missed and enabling rapid detection of multiple febrile individuals in succession or simultaneously.
3Measurement precision
If manual scanning with close contact is used, then the measurement precision can be high, but the harmful factors worsen due to secondary infection risk to operators
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces thermal radiation as an intermediary for temperature measurement. Forward-looking passive infrared sensors detect infrared radiation emitted by individuals' bodies from a distance, allowing accurate temperature measurement without physical contact. This intermediary mechanism resolves the contradiction by maintaining measurement precision through non-contact thermal detection while completely eliminating the infection risk to operators that would result from close contact during manual scanning.
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 rapid and accurate detection of individuals with elevated temperatures, reducing the risk of missing infected individuals, especially in crowded environments, and allows for continuous monitoring without the need for manual intervention, thereby improving public health safety.
Implementation Method 1
An Automatic Fever Detection System (AFDS) having a passive infra-red based thermal detection system. The system is configured for automatic passive thermal detection of a thermal signature indicative of an elevated human body temperature.
Implementation Method 2
utilizing at least one forward-looking passive infra-red (PIR) image sensor mounted in a fixed position relative to the movement of passing humans
Data Source
AI summary
A passive infra-red automatic fever detection system and method for identifying individuals presenting a thermal profile indicative of an abnormally elevated body temperature, either after an initial thermal reading or after the initial thermal reading and one or more subsequent thermal readings. The system and method may be configured for automatic detection, notification, and alarming of individuals with elevated body temperatures that may be indicative of an infection.