Infrared Camera Can Help Detect H1N1 Flu

www.kptv.com


WILSONVILLE, Ore. -- An infrared camera that uses thermal imaging to screen people who may have a disease could help health officials put a stop to the H1N1 flu epidemic.

Wilsonville-based FLIR Systems creates cameras that use thermal imaging to detect a person's body temperature. A person with a higher body temperature could be running a fever, which is a common symptom of the H1N1 flu.

After the camera picks out a "hot person" in a crowd, the person can be tested to see if they have an infectious disease.

What do you think? good idea or a tool to help herd everyone into forced quarantine..

If you see guys in bio suits wielding a video camera..... remember this article.

Pretty weird that this weeks episode of Fringe happened to have them using a handheld thermal for detecting the feverish body temp of the bad person.

Just like this, wonder if that's were they got the idea?

Thermal cameras have been set up at all major international airports in Japan and Australia, with many more countries doing it as well I'm sure.

All it does is show people running a fever.


I think it's a damn good idea.

Airports are already using this.

Swine flu threat keeps businesses and investors on edge across Asia

South Korean Health Welfare and Family Affairs Minister Jeon Jae-hee, left, and a quarantine officer check a thermal camera monitoring the body temperature of passengers arriving from overseas against the possible infection of swine flu at Incheon International Airport in Incheon, west of Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, April 28, 2009.

Flu fears spark rush on pharmacies

Thermal scanners are now being used at Australian airports to identify possible swine flu cases.

Thermal camera placed at Istanbul airport to prevent swine flu

it s new standard thermal screen monitoring like metal detectors . Good idea?

nope wont work big waste of time...

Tell you why
lets say I have the flu and sneeze on you..
now you got it or soon will...
if you walk past one of those infrared cameras do you think it will show up?
no you don't have a fever yet... so you walk by thinking you fine but your not...

reply to post by DaddyBare


So what's the alternative then?

It's better than nothing isn't it?

Originally posted by Chadwickus
reply to post by DaddyBare

 

So what's the alternative then?

It's better than nothing isn't it?

Okay look it will let you find the ones that are really sick but most of the time people are contagious before the show any symptoms...

At this point in the game we have to assume this infection has just started going around... now your infectious within hours of contracting but might not know your sick for up to 7 days.... man you could pass that to so very many people and not even know it...

the simple truth is by the time a person shows up on a scanner its way to late

[edit on 1-5-2009 by DaddyBare]

I've read once you contract this virus there is an average of a 5 day incubation period.

You become contagious to other people around 2 days before you start showing symptoms.

There is no stopping it now. I guess we'll see what happens though.

What happens when they start to quarantine EVERYONE, when they get a hot read on the camera?

Not just the person who gave the hot read.


That's the troubling part, to prevent the spread wouldn't it be the proper reaction to this situation?


Lock down all of them until they are cleared?

reply to post by Save The Drama


What if you happened to see a really hot babe who just happens to flash her panties at you right as you walk past that scanner?

"Oh wait a minute mister big scary gun person but can I at least get her phone number before you dunk me in that bucket of bleach"?

to much error in that system and that to could cause problems

They had one of these things at a museum I went to.
So I watched everyone else go through there faces were a normal light blue color sometimes yellow greenish color, then I go in front of it and BAM my face was BRIGHT red/orange.
Thing was I had NO fever, I just have more blood flow to my face then most people do.
So If this happens, i'm so screwed haha.

Originally posted by DaddyBare

to much error in that system and that to could cause problems

I agree that problems could be caused by errors, but I don't think that would prevent using this tool as a way to help in a forced quarantine should it get that bad.

When I first read this post, I was curious as I have a thermal camera I use in my business. And it will truly indicate folks with an elevated temperature, and even tell you the temperature.

Daddybare has it going. By the time someone has a fever, he's already exposed God only knows how many other folks - possibly hundreds - to the virus.

The thermal camera will only detect those who are feverish, and of course they can keep them off a plane, but all-in-all, this thing is out of hand already.

We should know more about it in about six months. By then, the swine virus should be adapting to the human version, and adapting to make it even more contagious.



[edit on 1-5-2009 by dooper]