Non-contact infrared thermometers

An open-source non-contact thermometer using low-cost electronic components

Due to the spread of COVID-19 across the world and the increased need for non-contact thermometers to prevent the spread of disease, a new electronic thermometer has been designed and implemented for measuring human body temperature from a distance. This device is currently in use at building entrances to measure the body temperatures of employees, students, and customers. This system is designed using low-cost easy-to-assemble open-source electronic components. The system consists of seven main parts: an Arduino UNO microcontroller, an infrared (IR) thermometer for non-contact temperature measurements (GY-906 MLX90614ESF module), an IR motion sensor (TCRT 5000) for the purpose of contactless initiation of the system, a graphic LCD to display results, a DS3231 clock module for a real-time clock and calendar, and a micro-SD storage board to store device audio instructions.

Use of noncontact infrared thermography to measure temperature in children in a triage room

We compared the accuracy and utility of 3 infrared (IFR) thermographs fitted with axillary digital thermometers used to measure temperature in febrile and afebrile children admitted to an emergency triage room.A total of 184 febrile and 135 afebrile children presenting to a triage room were consecutively evaluated. Axillary temperature was recorded using a digital electronic thermometer. Simultaneously, IFR skin scans were performed on the forehead, the neck (over the carotid artery), and the nape by the same nurse. Fever was defined as an axillary temperature ≥37.5°C. The temperature readings at the 4 sites were compared.For all subjects, the median axillary temperature was 37.7 ± 1.5°C, the IFR forehead temperature was 37 ± 1.1°C, the IFR neck temperature was 37.6 ± 1.5°C, and the IFR nape temperature was 37 ± 1.2°C. A Bland-Altman plot of the differences suggested that all agreements between IFR and axillary measures were poor (the latter measure was considered the standard). The forehead measurements had a sensitivity of 88.6% and a specificity of 60% in patients with temperatures ≥36.75°C. The sensitivities of the neck measurement at cut-offs of ≥37.35°C and ≥36.95 were 95.5% and 78.8% for those aged 2 to 6 years. Thus, 11.4% of febrile subjects were missed when forehead measurements were performed.An IFR scan over the lateral side of neck is a reliable, comfortable, rapid, and noninvasive method for fever screening, particularly in children aged 2 to 6 years, in busy settings such as pediatric triage rooms.