Vuzix Working Toward Hands-Free Fever Detection on AR Smart Glasses
Could smart glasses help contain the coronavirus?
The COVID-19 virus continues to spread at an alarming rate. As a result, the international community unites to contain the disease. While cooperation between governments, corporations and the World Health Organization (WHO) is key, the greatest weapon in the fight is technology.
READ: Could smart glasses shorten your office commute?
At airports, officials use thermometer guns to screen for fevers. Additionally, infrared thermography cameras are used to monitor travelers from a distance.
Based on what researchers know about the virus, these measures are one of the best defenses against spreading the disease.
Vuzix smart glasses help to contain COVID-19
Credit: CNN
Containment done right
However, these solutions are not perfect. Which begs the question:
What if health professionals could detect symptoms with nothing more than a glance?
The Vuzix team works to help solve a global challenge. With Librestream, they’re working toward solving the following problem with M-400 smart glasses:
- Stuck at immigration: Health professionals must point awkward thermometer guns at travelers to detect symptoms. This increases travel time and can be very unsettling
- A needle in a viral haystack: Fevers can also be detected using infrared thermography cameras. However, huge amounts of travelers are scanned simultaneously, making it difficult to verify symptoms
- Smart glasses, smarter screening: Vuzix teams with Librestream to work toward giving medical professionals hands-free thermal imaging capabilities
- Doctor-on-demand: Get remote checkups from healthcare practitioners. Vuzix is working with innovate 1Minuut to make this a reality.
As a result, frontline workers could individually monitor body temperatures (see below). Using Vuzix smart glasses, they could detect fevers using the device’s camera and lenses.
Hands-free thermal imaging can detect fevers on Vuzix M400 smart glasses
Adversity breeds innovation
The coronavirus pandemic is forcing the world to unite against a common threat. Smart glasses are a valuable tool in the containment effort.
Granted, some countries are quicker to react than others. Nevertheless, the path toward a cure and containment is paved with cross-border cooperation.
Together, humanity will forge new technologies to fight the disease. This innovation goes beyond the lab, forcing leaders in various sectors to contribute.
This could be the case with the AR (augmented reality) industry. As the tech advances, smart glasses could potentially help slow COVID-19’s spread.