How do I use a non-contact infrared scanner?
The use of an infrared scanner can be highly tricky and requires a few fundamental knowhows of how IR non-contact thermometer works. Without proper guidance, a non-contact thermometer may produce a false reading. There are six basic rules to remember while you are trying to use a non-contact IR thermometer
- IR thermometer scans radiation from the exposed area of the skin it can be the forehead, teardrop, fist, wrist, etc.
- Fever is defined as a rise in core body temperature above 100.4F. Skin temperature rises with increasing Core body temperature only if the skin is not exposed to extreme hot or cold ambient. The best ambient to scan is always between 20C and 30C ( 70-90F) or indoor ambient. Also, different areas of the skins differ from the Core body by a constant amount. For example, the forehead will be 1-2F less than the core body while for the fist, the difference is slightly larger ~ 1-4F. But if a person is exposed to windchill and forehead/fists are not covered, then this difference between skin and forehead can exceed more than 10F.
- Skins below which there are arteries (better blood circulation) are the closest to core body temperature and therefore are more preferred areas for scanning. Since blood carries the heat from the body to the skin.
- However, since Fever screening devices are used mostly to screen the people who are walking from the parking lot to a nearby reception area, the best area of the skin to scan is the middle of the forearm since that is normally covered during winter.
- Reading will be consistent and good if the sensor is within 4-6 inches. Beyond this range, reading will be unreliable due to a bad signal to noise ratio
- Always calibrate the non-contact thermometer with a NIST traceable standard blackbody radiator for better reading.
Do I need to be a trained thermographer to the temperature screen?
No, but please do remember the following basics
- IR thermometer scans radiation from the exposed area of the skin it can be the forehead, teardrop, fist, wrist, etc.
- Fever is defined as a rise in core body temperature. Skin temperature rises with Core body temperature rise only if the skin is not exposed to extreme hot or cold ambient. The Best ambient is always 20-30C ( 70-90F) or indoor ambient. Also, different areas of the skins differ from the Core body by a constant amount. For example, the forehead will be 1-2F less than the core body and 1-4F less than Fist. So setting for a different area of skin will be different.
- Skins below which there are arteries are the closest to the core body because the heat is supplied by blood, are the best and preferable area to scan
- However, since Feverscreening is used mostly to screen the people who are walking from the parking lot to a nearby reception area, the best area of the skin to scan is the middle of the forearm since that is normally covered during winter.
- Reading will be consistent and good if the sensor is within 4-6 inches. Beyond this range, reading will be unreliable due to a bad signal to noise ratio
- Always calibrate the non-contact thermometer with a standard blackbody radiator for better reading.
How to use a thermal imaging camera?
For reliable temperature reading, a Thermal imaging camera must have at least 5000-10,000 pixels. This is because the only area of the face and that is closer to core-body temperature is Teardrop. Unless the camera has high pixel density, there is no way, teardrop temperature can be recorded due to poor resolution. Forehead scanning will be highly misleading since, during winter, the Forehead will be much colder. Also, scanning should be one person at a time and there should be an optical camera to target the teardrop area.
How does thermal imaging work?
Thermal imaging uses IR (Infrared) photoreceiver which detects radiation from the human body in the wavelength range between 9 to 14 micron. The human body is a near-perfect blackbody radiator ( emissivity .96-.99). When a Matrix array of IR Photodetectors are used to capture the radiation from the face, based on the focal plane of each IR Photodetector (which has a focusing mechanism), the temperature of each pixel of IR image can be estimated by comparing with ideal blackbody radiation curve. The curve peaks at a particular IR wavelength that is indicative of the temperature of the radiating surface. The system has a digital filter and a look-up mechanism to correlate between the blackbody curve and skin temperature.
How much is a thermal imaging camera?
Thermal imaging camera starts from $10,000USD and very good ones can be above $30,000.
Why are thermal imaging cameras so expensive:
This is because of the fact a good thermal image camera needs more than 5000 IR Pixels and a good optical camera to focus on. Technology is complex. A Good thermal camera can start from $10,000 onwards.
What is the best place to take the temperature with an infrared scanner?
The best place to take the temperature with Infrared is the middle of the forearm. The Forehead is close to core body temperature but it is useless in North American winter when the guest has to walk a few minutes and forehead skin temperature may drop below 94F. Also scanning Forehead is difficult if an automated IR scanner is used. The Fist is a better alternative to Forehead for automated scanning. But the middle of the arm works better in winter since it is covered from outside cold weather.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. What are the uses of an infrared thermal scanner?
- A. Infrared scanners are used to measure temperature of the human body, machine surfaces, concrete surfaces etc. It provides an estimate for surface temperature of a body.
Q. What is an IR scanner?
- A. IR or Infrared Scanner is a sensor device that receives IR radiation from the surface of a body ( skin in the case of a human being) and estimates the temperature of human skins ( like Forehead, Wrist, Forearm etc). This is used to screen people with Fever.
Q. Difference between the infrared scanner and thermal scanner?
- A. They are essentially the same thing since most of the non-contact thermal scanners are IR scanners. But one can also use a contact thermometer ( mercury or semiconductor) as well to screen Feverish people.
Q. How do I use a non-contact infrared scanner?
- A. The use of an infrared scanner can be very tricky and requires fundamental knowhow of how IR non-contact thermometers work. Without proper guidance, a non-contact thermometer may produce a false reading. There are six basic rules to remember while trying to use a non-contact IR thermometer:
- An IR thermometer scans radiation from the exposed area of the skin which can be the forehead, teardrop, fist, or wrist, etc.
- Fever is defined as a rise in core body temperature above 100.4F. Skin temperature rises with increasing core body temperature only if the skin is not exposed to extreme hot or cold environment. The best ambient to scan is always between 20C and 30C (70-90F) or indoor ambient. Also, different areas of the skin differs from the core body by a constant amount. For example, the forehead will be 1-2F less than the core body while for the fist, the difference is slightly larger ~ 1-4F. But if a person is exposed to windchill and forehead/fists are not covered, then this difference between skin and forehead can exceed more than 10F.
- Skin below which there are arteries (better blood circulation) are the closest to core body temperature and therefore are more preferred areas for scanning since blood carries the heat from the body to the skin.
- However, since fever screening devices are used mostly to screen the people who are walking from the parking lot to a nearby reception area, the best area of the skin to scan is the middle of the forearm since that is normally covered during winter.
- Reading will be consistent and good if the sensor is within 4-6 inches. Beyond this range, reading will be unreliable due to bad signal to noise ratio.
- It is advisable to calibrate the non-contact thermometer with a NIST traceable standard blackbody radiator for better reading.
Q. Do I need to be a trained thermographer to screen temperature?
- A. No special training or certification is needed, but please do remember the following CDC guidelines:
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) gave employers the green light to take employees' temperatures to try and ward off the spread of the coronavirus in guidance from earlier this year.
"Generally, measuring an employee's body temperature is a medical examination," the EEOC stated. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) prohibits medical examinations unless they are job-related and consistent with business necessity. However, because the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and state and local health authorities have acknowledged community spread of COVID-19, the respiratory illness caused by the coronavirus, and have issued related precautions, "employers may measure employees' body temperature.
Thermal imaging cameras are designed to provide accurate thermal recordings based on heat signatures. They translate thermal radiation, which is normally not visible to the naked eye, into visual images with different colors indicating heat levels. For example, dark red stands for abnormally high temperatures, whereas blue shades indicate cooler temperatures. Therefore, the thermal imaging results are fairly simple to read and anyone can be given some basic training to use these devices and can identify normal from abnormal temperatures.
Q. How to use a thermal imaging camera?
- A. For reliable temperature reading, a thermal imaging camera must have at least 5000-10,000 pixels. This is because the only area of the face that is close to core-body temperature is the teardrop. Unless the camera has high pixel density, there is no way, teardrop temperature can be recorded due to poor resolution. Forehead scanning will be highly misleading since, during winter, the forehead will be much colder. Also, scanning should be one person at a time and there should be an optical camera to target the teardrop area.
Q. How does thermal imaging work?
- A. Thermal imaging uses IR (Infrared) photoreceiver which detects radiation from the human body in the wavelength range between 9 to 14 micron. The human body is a near-perfect blackbody radiator ( emissivity .96-.99). When a Matrix array of IR Photodetectors are used to capture the radiation from the face, based on the focal plane of each IR Photodetector (which has a focusing mechanism), the temperature of each pixel of IR image can be estimated by comparing with ideal blackbody radiation curve. The curve peaks at a particular IR wavelength that is indicative of the temperature of the radiating surface. The system has a digital filter and a look-up mechanism to correlate between the blackbody curve and skin temperature.
Q. How much is a thermal imaging camera?
- A. Thermal imaging camera starts from $10,000USD and very good ones can be above $30,000.
Q. Why are thermal imaging cameras so expensive:
- A. This is because of the fact a good thermal imaging camera needs more than 5000 IR Pixels and a good optical camera to focus on. Technology is complex. A Good thermal camera can start from $10,000 onwards.
Q. What is the best place to take the temperature with an infrared scanner?
- A. The best place to take the temperature with Infrared is the middle of the forearm. The Forehead is close to core body temperature but it is useless in North American winter when the guest has to walk a few minutes and forehead skin temperature may drop below 94F. Also scanning Forehead is difficult if an automated IR scanner is used. The Fist is a better alternative to Forehead for automated scanning. But the middle of the arm works better in winter since it is covered from outside cold weather.
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The Most Advanced IR Thermometer - Made in USA
Breakthrough Technology For Enhancing Accuracy Of Infrared Thermometers
Traditional infrared thermometers scan your forehead to measure skin temperature. But does forehead temperature tell us anything about core body temperature, the true sign of fever? In most cases, NO! Especially in cold-weather countries where people coming in from the extreme cold outdoors will have far lower skin temperature than core body temperature.
Buy NowIntroducing OPX Technology by FeverWarn
OPX Technology uses multiple geometric spatial sensors and AI-based algorithms to extend the ambient range of infrared thermometers and scanners by up to 50%—making hand-held forehead scanners obsolete.
The problem is, forehead or skin temperature can be increased or decreased independently of deep body temperature, for many reasons. Having just been in a cold or hot environment, sunburn, having just exercised, wearing too many clothes, having consumed alcohol, having just eaten, having a variety of skin conditions — these can all influence skin temperature. Such factors can result in false positives, where someone is suspected of having a fever when they do not, and false negatives, where someone passes a screening test but has a fever.
Neither outcome is good. The former means people will have to be checked further or prevented from doing things. The latter means infected individuals gain access to places where they can spread the infection, or feel they are virus-free so do not need to take other precautions, such as mask-wearing, social distancing, or washing their hands.
The new technology consists of new spatial geometric sensors combined with an artificial intelligence algorithm to filter out the effects of cold or hot weather. FeverWarn’s OPX technology is so ahead of its time, it even can help indirect or direct sunlight interference which has been an issue for handheld infrared thermometers and forehead scanners previously.
FeverWarn Infrared Thermometers With OPX Technology
FAQ on OPX Technology by FeverWarn
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How does external weather affect an infrared thermometer?
Traditional infrared thermometers that point at your forehead are only measuring your skin temperature to try to identify whether you have an increased core body temperature (also called deep body temperature), which is a true index of fever, one of the leading signs of Covid-19. Extreme hot or cold weather changes your skin temperature but not your core body temperature, thereby giving false positives and false negatives in fever scans.
https://machinesense.com/blogs/news/how-does-external-weather-affect-an-infrared-thermometer
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How can you verify that an Infrared Thermometer is Accurate?
Take your temperature in a normal indoor setting using a forehead infrared thermometer. Then spend some time outside in extreme cold weather or sit next to source of heat for a while, and then again take your temperature. You will see that your forehead temperature has changed within a matter of minutes. This will show you that the traditional forehead infrared thermometer that you are using is only reading your skin temperature, but not your core body temperature which is the true index of a fever. A FeverWarn infrared thermometer with OPX technology, which takes your fist/wrist temperature, will give you a consistent read of your temperature proving its accuracy at determining core body temperature in all settings.
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Which Handheld Thermometer Is Best For My Business?
For any business, a few factors are very important when it comes to scanning for fever at entry points: - That the method be self-service as opposed to requiring manpower, so that costs are minimized; - That the reading be accurate without false positives and false negatives so that liability is reduced and safety is increased; - That the fever scanning tool ideally have the ability to handle recording of data as well as integrations for automatic operation of entry and exit doors. All of the above features are not available in traditional hand-held, forehead-based, infrared thermometers. Only a FeverWarn self-service, infrared thermometer with OPX technology has the ability to deliver on all the above requirements.
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Are infrared thermometers accurate in cold weather?
No. The Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health noted years ago that “the accuracy of infrared skin thermometers is equivocal and requires more research”.The problem is traditional infrared thermometers used on the forehead only read your skin temperature. And forehead or skin temperature can be increased or decreased independently of deep body temperature, for many reasons. Having just been in a cold or hot environment, sunburn, having just exercised, wearing too many clothes, having consumed alcohol, having just eaten, having a variety of skin conditions — these can all influence skin temperature, thereby making a regular infrared thermometer inaccurate.
https://machinesense.com/blogs/news/do-infrared-thermometers-give-accurate-readings-in-cold-weather
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Can you take body temperature with an infrared thermometer?
Infrared thermometer can take only skin temperature. It is assumed, skin temperature of forehead, wrists or forearm is closer to core-body temperature. Feverwarn IR thermometers predict corebody temperature by measuring skin temperature and ambient temperature.
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Can you use an infrared thermometer on yourself?
Yes, there are self-serving Infrared thermometers like the one designed by Feverwarn models. A user can scan his/her wrist, Fist or Foreheads easily using self-serving Feverwarn models.
WHY THE WRIST?
The Wrist Beats the Forehead in Temperature Scanning.
- Easy self-servicing without risking personnel to exposure
- No interference by hats or face coverings
- No makeup on the wrist vs. skin makeup on the forehead which can interfere
- Reduced hair on wrist vs. bangs and long hair which can interfere with forehead scanning
- No perspiration on the wrist vs. heavy perspiration on forehead which can interfere with scanning
The back of the hand has ideal arterial blood flow, which accurately correlates to mean body temperature. Research confirms the back of the hand has one of the most steady readings which is ideal for thermal scanning.
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SO MUCH MORE THAN A THERMAL TEMPERATURE SCANNER...
Easily Integrates with Employee ID Badge Systems, Electric and Magnetic Doors, Turnstiles, Gates, Sanitizer Dispensers, QR Readers and Much More!
FeverWarn Thermal Scanning Systems include a USB port to control external relays, which can be used to send outputs to auxiliary devices, including gates and security doors. By using an appropriate USB to RS232/485 or digital high/low relay converter (based on the existing access control relay protocol) users can control their gate access operation
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EASILY CREATES COMPLIANCE REPORTS
FeverWarn is your expert witness for ongoing compliance reporting.
With the CDC’s recommendations to monitor employee health and take measures to protect your employees. Compliance data backups and full reporting are an important part of avoiding future workman’s compensation or liability claims.
- Legal experts claim that following all CDC recommendations and being able to prove such will help insulate you against legal claims.
- Handheld thermal scanners and even many thermal scanning systems have no way of retaining data or generating visual reporting. Not the case with FeverWarn’s Compliance Reporting capabilities!
PRIVACY
FeverWarn offers data compliance for legal protection
- FeverWarn only measures temperature. It does not identify the individual or retain any personal information.
- If customers do not want temperature data to go to the Crystalball cloud, it can be pushed to an internal server to keep all data locally.
- We are absolutely committed to privacy by avoiding the collection of personal information and assisting with local storage as required.
FEVERWARN THERMAL SCANNER DATA STORAGE OPTIONS
- Local on board storage for up to 1,000 scans. Can be exported into CSV format for manipulation. Phone visualization for daily scans.
- Cloud storage available through Crystalball Cloud. One year free subscription included. $100/year after that or $10/month. Visualization available as well as CSV reports available for download. Also includes micro services for email and text alerts.
- If the use of an outside cloud is objectionable, users can easily configure their own local network storage to keep everything on premise.
A fever is the most common coronavirus symptom,
affecting up to
88 percent of those who have the ailment.
This telling symptom of possible virus infection can be easily monitored
with FeverWarn by conducting pre-entry temperature scanning to
alert
potentially sick employees or visitors and keep them from
exposing others.
FeverWarn’s advanced infrared temperature screening system offers much more than temperature scanning.
FeverWarn’s reporting software is your future expert witness, providing compliance reports to help you avoid liability issues.
The system also easily integrates with auxiliary devices such as automatic doors, gates, and employee attendance systems.
FeverWarn...
The FIRST Line of Defense
Against Viral Spread
Why is FeverWarn So Important?
Accuracy. Reliability. Safety
First Line of Defense
when inside the building
Accurate infrared measurement
(±0.3°F/C) that is FDA compliant
Non-contact self-service
temperature scanning
Provides outputs for triggering
auxiliary doors or gates if needed
Offers data compliance for
legal protection
Developed and manufactured in the USA
for quick delivery/FREE shipping
Easy and flexible installation
set up and operation
Immediate alerts help organizations
make informed decisions
How FeverWarn Works
Breakthrough Technology
It’s All In The Fist
The wrist and fist areas are ideal for infrared scanning because the arterial blood flow is close to the skin. Generally this area does not have scanning complications of other IR technologies like forehead scans where perspiration, hair, or make-up can interfere.
FeverWarn is a self-service scanning with reliable results in one second or less!
Simply place your fist under the scanner (1-4 inches away), and you’ll get either a red or green light indicator (note: the 230- model provides an voice activated announcement in addition to the light signal)
The Science of Fist-Forward Temperature Monitoring
The wrist and fist areas are ideal for infrared scanning because the arterial blood flow is close to the skin. Generally this area does not have scanning complications of other IR technologies like forehead scans where perspiration, hair, or make-up can interfere. University studies report the fist/wrist as one of the most reliable areas for temperature scanning Many people are familiar with infrared (IR) skin temperature devices being used to monitor forehead skin temperature. But due to different heights, heavy perspiration of the forehead area, hair, makeup, and other facial coverings, the readings can be compromised and often require secondary scans. In fact, infrared skin temperature can be taken in many places on the human body, especially those regions where arterial blood flow is present. Still, some areas, including the fist, are best to correlate with mean body temperature (MBT), which is used to measure fever. Another reason the fist/wrist area was selected as an optimal temperature monitoring is because people can easily manipulate their arm/hand and scan themselves. In contrast, people of different heights would require multiple scanners to achieve the same results with a forehead scanner.
Besides, research and even warnings by manufacturers of forehead scanners have established that their readings can be compromised by forehead perspiration, makeup, hair, and other coverings. Longer range thermal infrared imaging systems are also available on the market. Still, they are expensive, and a high-resolution camera is necessary to direct the image to the correct facial areas. Also, infrared imaging cannot be used outdoors due to the interference of the sunlight’s infared rays which, will impact the results.
Formula for a Safe Environment
Entrance Temperature Scanning
Wearing Face Masks
Social Distancing
A Much SAFER Environment
FAQs
WHY do we need temperature scanning at our hospitals and medical facilities?
Temperature Scanning, or Thermal Scanning has been recognized as a key indicator of early warning of virus infection. Having thermal scanning devices inside the entrance/exits of your hospital, school, office and manufacturing plant provides a level of protection and comfort in knowing that anyone whose reading indicates a higher than normal temperature will not be allowed to further enter the building.
Are there specific guidelines for re-opening facilities that include some type of temperature monitoring as a first-line defense?
The CDC has provided general guidelines to the Department of Education, Businesses and Retail environments that includes a recommendation to integrate temperature monitoring as part of an overall virus prevention strategy. As a first line of protection, and in concert with other safety precautions such as wearing masks and social distancing, thermal scanning should be strongly considered in any precaution planning.
How Does FeverWarn compare with other current temperature monitoring devices?
There are multiple benefits the FeverWarn application has over two other current approaches. Unlike hand-held scanner that require a person to stand there all day and take readings, FeverWarn uses the fist as the key indicator for temperature readings. Studies have shown that this is the most stable and accurate part of the body for this type of scanning. Hand-held scanners to the forehead have several issues that can affect an accurate reading. Perspiration, hair in the way, proper social distancing, and even make-up can negatively influence an accurate reading.
The other scanner is a fixed position scanner that requires the person to stand up taller, squat down lower to get in the range of the scan, and then hold that position for several seconds until it registers. This scanner also has to take into account the same issues as the hand-held scanner in regards to perspiration, hair in the way, social distancing and make-up.
Protect Your Medical Staff, Service Employees, and Visitors
One of your most valuable assets are your doctors/nurses/ staff, employees, teachers, students and visitors. Knowing they are coming to work in an environment that is as safe as possible takes away stress. It builds confidence allowing them to perform their jobs in safer surroundings without health-concern distractions. Visitors will also appreciate the precautions taken to ensure that safety-first is a large part of your stand against viral spread.
FeverWarn can be installed in front lobbies, security checkpoints, sign-in kiosks, inside manufacturing entrances, school entrances and any other place where the initial entranceway is your first line of defense.
