Tech tie-up delivers Vital thermal screening solution
FOOD INDUSTRY EYED AS A MAJOR MARKET
AGRIMSBY tech specialist has developed an autonomous thermal screening solution to help keep workers safe through Covid-19. LCS Group, a technology outsourcing company, has brought it forward after a number of clients sought advice, leading to extensive analysis and market research. And the facial recognition system, the result of a partnership with global security and access control provider Hikvision, has already been installed by an offshore wind farm operator - with the food industry eyed as another major market. Glenn Thow, chief executive of LCS, said: “It became obvious really quickly that a lot of technology not fit for purpose was being promoted by companies simply wishing to capitalise on a bad situation, in fact a few of our customers had indeed already purchased devices that were totally useless for human temperature screening.
“If customers want to utilise this technology then it needs to be accurate to within 0.5 degrees centigrade or lower, it needs to be autonomous to preserve social distancing, and include dynamic alerting and audit trail logging of all scans.
“But most importantly we wanted to be totally transparent about what this technology is, but also what it isn’t, allowing consumers to make informed decisions about how it may add value to their own specific situations.”
A tool in the armoury, potentially able to identify a symptom that may have gone unnoticed, the LCS Vital can also facially recognise even with face mask present.
It boasts touch-free operation, and can even be integrated into a remote system, with LCS also installing it on the Riverside House HQ.
Chris Upcraft, LCS’s technical director, said: “The Vital solution is truly much more than temperature screening. The unit can be a permanent fixture for years to come in many business settings utilising facial recognition / swipe card / password door access control and/or built-in time and attendance monitoring.
“In the food sector especially, the ability to detect fever of any kind before entering a food processing factory is invaluable.
“We have deployed the solution within our own business and staff definitely feel more reassured about having the additional measure in place above and beyond all of our other protections systems and policies.”