Temperature-compensated infrared-based low-cost mobile platform module for mass human temperature screening

Appl Opt. 2020 Jun 10;59(17):E112-E117. doi: 10.1364/AO.388313.

Abstract

As fast human temperature screening is needed in large public areas, this paper proposes a low-cost mobile platform module that combines the advantages of analyzing visible and thermal images. In particular, the key idea relies on face detection in the visible image. Then the coordinates of all faces detected are mapped on to the thermal image to determine their corresponding temperatures. Internal temperature compensation and external reference temperature also are employed to reduce the unwanted temperature fluctuation inside the module and in the surrounding environment. Our mobile platform module, called $\unicode{x00B5} {\rm Therm}$, uses a FLIR ONE camera as our visible and thermal imaging cameras. It can simultaneously determine the temperatures of nine people at a speed of 8 frames/second. A field test operation was performed for four days with 1,170 people, with very promising results of 100% sensitivity, 92.6% specificity, and 92.7% accuracy.

MeSH terms

  • Body Temperature Regulation
  • False Negative Reactions
  • Fever / diagnosis*
  • Humans
  • Infrared Rays*
  • Predictive Value of Tests
  • Skin Temperature / physiology*
  • Thermography / economics
  • Thermography / methods*