Investigation of the Impact of Infrared Sensors on Core Body Temperature Monitoring by Comparing Measurement Sites

Abstract

Many types of thermometers have been developed to measure body temperature. Infrared thermometers (IRT) are fast, convenient and ease to use. Two types of infrared thermometers are uses to measure body temperature: tympanic and forehead. With the spread of COVID-19 coronavirus, forehead temperature measurement is used widely to screen people for the illness. The performance of this type of device and the criteria for screening are worth studying. This study evaluated the performance of two types of tympanic infrared thermometers and an industrial infrared thermometer. The results showed that these infrared thermometers provide good precision. A fixed offset between tympanic and forehead temperature were found. The measurement values for wrist temperature show significant offsets with the tympanic temperature and cannot be used to screen fevers. The standard operating procedure (SOP) for the measurement of body temperature using an infrared thermometer was proposed. The suggestion threshold for the forehead temperature is 36 °C for screening of fever. The body temperature of a person who is possibly ill is then measured using a tympanic infrared thermometer for the purpose of a double check.

Feasibility of continuous fever monitoring using wearable devices

“…These findings provide proof-of-concept for the feasibility of wearables-based temperature sensors to support productive research into fever-associated illness, within individuals and across distributed populations. First, our findings refute previous concerns that distal body temperature is too different from tympanic temperature to be useful in detecting fevers 7 . This previous claim was based on single time-point measures, and so the difference highlights the importance of longitudinal, high temporal-resolution data gathered within individuals.…”

“…However, single-point measures have limited sensitivity to detect disease, particularly in the earliest stages of onset 6 ; this lack of utility has dampened the perceived value of temperature assessment in disease prevention and containment. Further, some researchers have used the difficulties with single-point measures to argue that data from wearable devices cannot be used to detect fever 7 . This is not surprising, as sensitivity to detect small, but meaningful, changes in body temperature may be limited without contextual information, such as baseline variability in circadian body temperature 8 , phase in menstrual cycle 8 – 10 , and other temperature-modulating biological rhythms 8 at the time of measurement.…”

Correction of human forehead temperature variations measured by non-contact infrared thermometer

“…with T amb and T ir the ambient temperature of the environment and the mirrored temperature of the object, respectively. We added to the results an offset of 2.1 degrees in order to match with the average temperature using a contact thermometer, as observed by [3].…”

“…Non-contact infrared thermometers (NCITs), on the other hand, allow the temperature to be taken without contact and therefore do not require constant disinfection, take fast measurements (less than one second) and do not require to stay uncomfortably with a thermometer for a long time. Non-contact thermometers were extensively reviewed in [3] and validated for their use for fever symptoms detection. NCITs can be classified into two categories.…”

Covid-19 y consulta dental: revisión de la literatura.

“…La medición de la temperatura corporal usando dispositivos infrarrojos es un método confiable, rápido y seguro para detectar posibles sujetos con Covid-19. 56,57 EQUIPO DE PROTECCIÓN PERSONAL PARA EL ODONTÓLOGO Y SU EQUIPO DE TRABAJO Mascarillas La mascarilla o tapaboca es un elemento esencial de los clínicos dentro en el equipo de protección personal, existen diferentes modelos de mascarillas, y su utilización va a depender de la práctica dental a ejecutar, posteriormente explicaremos cada una y su función, debemos tener en cuenta que las mascarillas son imprescindibles para minorar el riesgo de transmisión, ya que hasta, ahora no existe método, inyección para neutralizar y matar el virus, según la (OMS) sugiere emplear mascarillas en situaciones de bajo riesgo y mascarillas respiratorias de partículas en condiciones de alto y bajo riesgo. [58][59][60][61] La propiedad más considerable del enmascaramiento es la seguridad, que evita la extensión de los virus de pacientes asintomáticos, sintomáticos, presintomáticos portadores, según Park y cols, encontraron que los enfermos asintomáticos poseían semejantes cargas virales que los enfermos sintomáticos lo que indica un elevado potencial de contagio.…”