Coronavirus' New Normal: LI Company's Body Scanner To Check Temperatures, Heart Rates As People File By
RONKONKOMA, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) - There are many factors to consider for government officials as they plan re-open the economy.
Checking to see if someone has a fever is a big first step in bringing people back to work after the spread of coronavirus. Derek Peterson from Soter Technologies in Ronkonkoma has technology that can scan hundreds of people an hour to check their temperature, heart rate, respiration rate, and blood oxygen level.
"We can do this non-invasively, not even touching somebody," said Peterson in an interview with CBS2's Jennifer McLogan. "It is as fast as five seconds."
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Peterson foresees the technology being used as people enter public spaces and he intends for the scanner to check people as quickly as possible.
"The goal is to get people rapidly back into their given area," said Peterson. "Engineers are building the scanners here as orders come in from around the globe. The company will begin shipping out in June at a cost of $35,000 a piece."
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The sensor is not a medical device, so it doesn't require FDA approval. The machine doesn't collect or store data either.
"It will not tell if somebody has coronavirus or even if you have the flu," said Peterson. "We are not doing any diagnosis. We are saying, you have these symptoms."
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While the device could be an asset in helping society return to normal, there are several important questions looming about asymptomatic carriers of COVID-19.
"You possibly catch some of the people who are asymptomatic and don't realize that they are on their way to getting sick," said CBS2's Dr. Max Gomez. "But, an awful lot of these people will probably slip through, so that's a drawback."
Peterson's scanner uses milometer wave technology, which is what is used in airport body scanners. When the sensor detects a health problem, it's up to the operators to use their protocols in determining how to proceed.