Solutions manager at Dahua Technology in Brazil, Adriano Oliveira, wrote an article on the adoption of thermal cameras at Brazilian airports. Oliveira spoke of the importance of this technology in combating coronavirus and in the safety of passengers, who will have their temperatures checked, without causing crowds at airport boarding gates.
The manager also reinforced that the airports have already intensified the hygiene of the places, the use of alcohol in gel, the masks, the distancing guidelines, and the audible and visual alerts about the symptoms of the coronavirus.
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“Brazilian airports adopt thermal cameras as allies in the fight against coronavirus
With the sudden drop of passengers in the aviation market due to the social isolation caused by the pandemic, the sector quickly sought measures for the resumption, so that in early August 2020, national aviation (air network) has already reached 40% of the previous indexes to the coronavirus pandemic. The data are from the National Civil Aviation Agency (ANAC) and studies indicate that this flow should grow gradually and reach 80% of pre-pandemic levels by the end of 2020.
As we are not aware of when we will emerge from the biggest public health crisis in the world, all measures that can protect travelers and professionals in the air transport market are essential. And they are here to stay. The technology of thermal cameras is an example because it is able to “read” the infrared radiation emitted by the bodies and transform it into an image, thus measuring the temperature of the passengers.
Thermal cameras measure people’s temperature and are able to determine if they have a fever (temperature above 37.8 ° C), which in many cases can indicate Covid-19 infection. Thus, a potentially infected person becomes aware and can investigate the issue and prevent further contagion. In this case, when the passenger has a high temperature, he can be selected for additional screening and even, if it is an airport policy, perform specific diagnoses of the new coronavirus, either by rapid test or the so-called PCR (protein C- reactive).
The thermal camera solution used today is able to measure, simultaneously and without contact, the temperature of many people, the distance, even with parts of the face covered, whether through the use of a mask or sunglasses, for example. Using artificial intelligence, the solution allows the user’s temperature to be displayed with precision and agility. In this way, the passenger does not need to be interrupted for the measurement to take place, ensuring a constant flow, and avoiding crowding at the airport boarding gates.
Among the measures and new routines for airports and air travel is the intensification of the hygiene of the places, the use of alcohol in a gel, the masks for face protection, indication of space intervals in the waiting area, and also several distancing guidelines. There are also alerts on symptoms of coronavirus in numerous forms of communication, whether visual or audible. ANAC announced that it should hold a public consultation to reinforce measures to combat coronavirus aimed at the sector.
From the point of view of the aircraft, there is also an air exchange purification system inside the planes, called HEPA in English, the acronym for “high-efficiency particulate air”, which is already widely used and is capable of retaining almost all microorganisms, viruses and bacteria present in the cabin air.
According to studies by Purdue University on air quality in different environments, the air present in the cabin of an airplane with HEPA technology is completely changed in a period between 2 and 3 minutes. When compared to conventional air conditioning in an office or home, we can see the efficiency of the aircraft’s purification system, since the latter performs this air replacement at average rates ranging from 10 to 12 minutes.
Protecting passengers and employees includes a series of actions on the part of administrators and the thermal camera is a resource that assists the assessment of many people and indicates the individuals who must carry out additional screening. Awareness and knowledge are the greatest weapons against this invisible and deadly enemy, which is unfortunately still far from being defeated.
By Adriano Oliveira (Dahua Technology Solutions Manager in Brazil)”
