HYDERABAD: A Hyderabad-based startup has developed a camera that measures body temperature, detects face masks (or lack thereof) and keeps an eye out for social distancing violations. The State government mulls to install them in public places, like malls, offices and factories, after the lockdown. Earlier, IT Minister KT Rama Rao had asked innovators to explore the possibilities of using thermal imaging tech to check the spread of Covid-19.
The technology named ‘Febri Eye’ has been developed by Vehant Technologies. It is essentially a thermal screening device which sets off an alarm when it detects people without face masks or violations of social distancing. The alarm will alert authorities on such violations. The app uses advanced facial detection technique to detect forehead temperature and generates an alert when it detects high temperature.
Vehant Technologies was incubated in IIT Delhi in 2005 and has been developing products that are beneficial to physical security, surveillance, traffic monitoring systems. Cherukumalli Rao, the general manager of Vehant Technologies, appealed to KTR on Twitter to look into the innovation. He said, “IIT Delhi incubated vehant technologies now come out with camera for Covid- 19,it will detect m a s k , s o c i a l distance,and body temperature. Any deviation it generates alarm. Like to come and demonstrate to you sir. [sic]” KTR responded to his tweet and directed IT Secretary Jayesh Ranjan to explore ways in which it could be put to use. Ranjan said, “This can be useful once malls, offices, and factories reopen.”