ICAPS
Integrated Camera & Air Purifier System
Akinbowale Bolaji, Andrea Rivera Razo, Tagekumar Paul & Usman Choudhary
City College of New York
Summary
Several countries have used thermal imaging systems during pandemics and infectious diseases, and according to several studies, infrared modalities represent the most viable mass fever screening approach. (Ghassemi, 2018) Thermal imaging systems may be used to measure surface skin temperature. These systems include an infrared thermal camera and in combination with the CCTV system will be the best weapon to fight the spreading of covid-19. Among these devices are non-contact infrared thermometers (NCITs) and the best method of air decontamination, which will work together to alert the people in charge about potentially infected people and will also filter out aerosols that contain the virus. The Integrated Camera & Air Purifier System (ICAPS) consists of implementing these devices in supermarkets and high-density areas to reduce the risk of cross-contamination, and to minimize the spread of covid-19. There are many benefits of implementing ICAPS into our daily life. The non-contact approach will reduce the risk of spreading between people being evaluated, it is easy to use, and it measures temperature. The thermal imaging will display readings rapidly in real time, and the air that we are inhaling will be vented out the building and purified consistently
Author’s Note
This paper was prepared for English 21007 taught by Professor Susan Delamare
Questions concerning this paper should be addressed to: [email protected]
Introduction
In today’s day and age, there has been a growing concern with health and safety. The pandemic caused by COVID-19 has only exemplified these fears. In large cities like New York City or Los Angeles, these problems are exemplified by the large density of people in those areas (Moskowitz, 2020). Public places in these areas make it easy to transmit the virus, and without precautions/ restrictions put in place, the number of cases will increase.
There have been many consequences of the pandemic, both good and bad. One result that can be caused by the virus is increased body temperature. Thus, many buildings and spaces have resorted to using thermal imaging from cameras that are mounted on bipod/ tripods (Childress, 2020). This system allows the temperature of any individual to be assessed when they enter the building. Anyone with a questionable body temperature is either turned away, or are checked for other symptoms. In addition, there is reduced contact due to the imaging distance (Childress, 2020). Security can be far away while determining if the individual’s temperature is within safe bounds. Overall, this is a good first line of defense for buildings.
However, this is only one small piece of the puzzle. The thermal imaging only works if the affected person has started manifesting/ showing the symptoms of the virus (“Thermal Imaging”, n.d.). If a person has recently received the virus, they are asymptomatic, and will not immediately start showing the virus. Thus, there is still a chance that a person has a normal temperature and has the virus, but it hasn’t manifested yet. This leads to the other lines of defense.
Throughout the course of 2020, there have been other restrictions that have been put in place. Some examples are only having a set number of persons in a store at once, or wearing a mask at all times. In addition, more concerned people have been doing more than required. Examples are people sanitizing their hands regularly, wearing gloves, and not touching surfaces/ their faces at the same time. However, these restrictions put in place also don’t guarantee that the virus won’t be transmitted even if no one touches anything. This is due to the fact that the virus can spread through air in the form of aerosols (“Preventing the Spread of COVID-19 By Circulating Air in Schools and Other Buildings”, n.d.).
Aerosols are made when we breathe, talk, yell, etc. They are smaller than usual droplets that fly out of our mouth when we speak, can float in the air for hours, and travel long distances (Barber, 2020). Thus, ventilation and air purification systems need to be created in order to deter these aerosols from transmitting the virus. There are many different types of ventilation systems used in various types of buildings, but they are usually only in bathrooms and kitchens. Air purification takes many forms. For example, there are HEPA filtration purifiers, ionization purifiers, ozone generators, etc.
Objectives
Our objective is to propose a two-line defense system for public spaces with a high density of people. The research found and used will be used to reduce the transmission of the virus in these areas. We will first conduct a review of the current methods of thermal imaging and air purification, and then create this two-line defense system based on the research. It will be called the Integrated Camera & Air Purifier System, or ICAPS. Then, the system must be tested in a controlled lab environment to verify the merits of the research. If the lab results show ICAPS being effective, the next step is to create a customized structure for different public spaces. Various methods of each line of defense will be tested for effectiveness, and then we will move on with the implementation/ integration of the new systems into existing systems. This is all in line with the unified goal of reducing the transmittance of the virus in public spaces.
The Integrated Camera & Air Purifier System will be created within a projected time frame for any locale. The time frame will be 4 weeks, and it will be consistent for all projects. However, the specific purifiers and cameras used will vary. In addition, the project will be evaluated at certain points. The projected time frame is shown in Appendix A.
Preliminary Literature Review
The first line of defense has to do with early detection of people with a high temperature. According to Childress (2020), “Some of these cameras are specifically designed for measuring and estimating body temperature for medical screening. They could be used with custom programs written to implement the screening questionnaire, capture the images, and keep a record.” (para. 4).Thermal cameras are devices that turn thermal energy into light which is visible to analyze whatever it is you need to see including objects, people, animals, scenes, etc. These cameras are not like any ordinary camera. Regular cameras use visible light, but thermal cameras use heat (thermal energy) to make the picture. Thermal cameras capture infrared energy and use the data to create images through digital or analog video outputs (“How Do Thermal Cameras Work?”, 2020).
A thermal camera is made up of a lens, a thermal sensor, processing electronics, and a mechanical housing. The lens focuses infrared energy onto the sensor (“How Do Thermal Cameras Work?”, 2020). Thermal detectors need to sense energy that has much larger wavelengths than visible light, which requires each sensor element to be larger (“How Do Thermal Cameras Work?”, 2020).
An FLIR thermal camera can detect tiny differences in heat which can be as small as 0.01°C (“How Do Thermal Cameras Work?”, 2020). Then it is displayed as shades of grey or with different color palettes. Thermal cameras were first only used for surveillance and military operations. Now they are used for building inspection, temperature screening, firefighting, industrial inspections, some functions for vehicles, scientific research, and many other things (“Thermal Imaging”, n.d.).
CCTV cameras are also called closed-circuit television. There cameras are used to allow you to watch what is going on in or around wherever you want them including your house, your workspace, your business, etc. The cameras and monitors allow you to watch the place where the cameras are live. You can also watch the footage later. The purpose of CCTV cameras is to capture footage. There are a variety of different options for you to choose from.
One option is wired security cameras. These cameras use cables to do video surveillance and transmit footage (“What Is CCTV & How Does it Work?”, 2019). The signal can become weak when the transmission range exceeds 300 meters. To make the signal better when it exceeds 300 meters you need networking cables, switches, and signal boosters that are appropriate (“What Is CCTV & How Does it Work?”, 2019). Another CCTV camera option is analog cameras. Analog cameras are the most commonly used cameras. They have basic functions and store video onsite. IP cameras are another type of CCTV camera. IP cameras boast sharper/ higher resolution images, have more flexible features like remote zoom and repositioning, and give you an option to view footage on a web browser as well (“What Is CCTV & How Does it Work?”, 2019).
Figure 1:How the CCTV system is connected together. Reprinted from “How to Install CCTV,” by TechCube, 2020.
According to Guo et al. (2020), “Human oral, indoor air and outdoor haze were critical sources of bacteria in floor dust.” (p. 6). This is important in public places with a high density of people. There needs to be something to counter this, and the answer is air filters. Air filters use fine sieves to filter out small particles from the air. As air passes through the filter, the particles get trapped because they cannot pass through a certain sieve size (Grabianowski, 2006). The filters are usually made from foam, cotton, fiberglass, etc. The first type of filter is a HEPA filter, or High Efficiency Particulate Air filter. The HEPA standard allows for penetration of less than 0.3 percent of particles that are less than 0.3 micrometers or larger (Hepacart, 2020). Thus, it can be made from any material as long as it is within those requirements, and it will meet the standard for a HEPA filter. There are filters with even more filter capability. However, these filters are more expensive, used for niche fields like the nuclear power industry, and are more expensive (Hepacart, 2020).
Figure 2: Electrostatic Precipitator and its Components. Reprinted from “Air purifier,” by How Products are Made, 2020.
Ionizing purifiers are another type of purifier that work by creating charged ions (Welter, 2018). Using the corona discharge method, a small but effective electric field is created. Large particles, such as dust, are ionized as it passes through the electric field (Williams, 2019). Once it is ionized, it will be attracted to other particles of the opposite charge, or either of the charged plates within the purifier (Welter, 2018). This leads to particles clumping together, which make them heavier, finally settling them out of the air. Compared to the filtration method, ionizing purifiers are used less. They are less effective than filters, but also cost less (Williams, 2019).
Technical Description of Innovation
ICAPS is used to reduce the transmittance of viruses and aerosols using various lines of defense. It combines thermal cameras with CCTV, and are used in tandem with air purification. For each specific locale/ project, ICAPS follow the same structure physically and ideally, but the cameras and purifiers are interchangeable. Thus, no matter which version of air purification we use, it can be switched interchangeably into the same positions. This is important because research may show one method working more effectively than the other, and clients can choose between economical and high end systems.
The general idea is that a CCTV system currently will be combined with current thermal imaging camera technology to create a thermal CCTV system. In addition to that, the best method (chosen by the client) of air decontamination will be used for places with a high density of people such as lobbies, seating areas, gathering halls, and bathrooms. ICAPS will not only alert security/greeters to potential hosts with the thermal imaging, but will also filter out aerosols containing any virus/ contaminant. This accounts for people who were recently exposed to the virus and don’t show up as abnormally hot yet on the thermal imaging. In addition, it takes into account human error and civilians who pass security.
Figure 3: ICAPS Integrated Camera & Air Purifier System, created by Akinbowale Bolaji, 12/07/2020.
The security process when using ICAPS:
Stage 1: Person A enters entrance in the vicinity of CCTV camera
Stage 2a: Person A is either of good temperature or bad temperature
Stage 2b: Person A is a good temperature but was recently exposed
Stage 3a: Person A enters successfully and poses no threat to other people
Stage 3b: Person A gets deterred from entering and poses no threat
Stage 3c: Person A bypasses security/ there is human negligence, and enters
Stage 4a: Person A is seen by CCTV security while on the premises, and is taken to quarantine/medical attention.
Stage 4b: Person A is not seen by CCTV, but the air is constantly being filtered out of the space, and so the aerosols are reducing the likelihood of transmission.
ICAPS also includes heavy monitoring using the CCTV system. Footage of high-density areas will be monitored, and analyzed daily by specialists. That footage will be saved to the cloud and on a hard disc drive simultaneously for legal purposes/ safety. However, a flaw can be seen. When a recent host gets past security, they are a hazard until their body starts showing up as excessively hot. Thus, ICAPS also relies on the strict restrictions put in place. These include wearing masks, constant cleaning/sanitary action, and minimal distance between people.
The effect of ICAPS is to reduce the likelihood of contracting the virus to a minimum. This is all with the common goal of health and safety in mind.
Budget
The initial budget of the ICAPS system begins with the costs associated with the first year of operation. When designing the system, we plan to staff a doctoral researcher and microbiologist to research and come up with the most effective way of using the air filters, and when to swap to ionizing purifiers. In addition, we will staff a graduate computer science student and mechanical engineer to fine tune our thermal imaging CCTV systems in each project. This research and development team will allow for the maximum safety in every project we are paid to do, but there are also consulting fees that will be allocated as a line item. However, we must also look at the projections for the equipment used in the ICAPS system. The cameras and purifiers are available in a variety of configuration and prices. This is to allow local supermarkets and corporations to both use this system to increase the safety of their high-density areas. The total cost of a business security system for a small or medium-sized business can be broken down into security hardware, installation/ activation, and alarm monitoring (“What’s the Cost of a Security System for a Business?”, n.d.). That means the the scale of the project/ client will determine the additional costs (costs other than staffing). After the first year of operation, there will be a re-assessment of average costs, and changes will be implemented after that.
Table 1: Project Budget Details, created by Tagekumar Paul, 12/07/2020.
References
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Childress, D. (2020, June 19). Thermal Imaging to Screen for COVID-19. Retrieved December 09, 2020, from https://www.leadingage.org/cast/thermal-imaging-screen-covid-19
Ghassemi P, Pfefer TJ, Casamento JP, Simpson R, Wang Q (2018) Best practices for
standardized performance testing of infrared thermographs intended for fever screening. PLoS ONE 13(9): e0203302. Retrieved December 02, 2020, from
Guo, J., Xiong, Y., Kang, T., Xiang, Z., & Qin, C. (2020, April 14). Bacterial community analysis of floor dust and HEPA filters in air purifiers used in office rooms in ILAS, Beijing. Retrieved December 02, 2020, from https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-020-63543-1
How to Install CCTV. (2020, October 20). [Figure 1] Retrieved December 5, 2020, from https://www.techcube.co.uk/blog/how-to-install-cctv/
How Do Thermal Cameras Work? (2020, June 16). Retrieved December 02, 2020, from https://www.flir.com.au/discover/rd-science/how-do-thermal-cameras-work/
Moskowitz, D. (2020, November 13). Here’s a Look at the Top 10 Most Populated Cities in the U.S in 2020. Retrieved December 02, 2020, from https://www.investopedia.com/articles/personal-finance/050815/top-10-most-developed-cities-us.asp
Thermal Imaging (Infrared Thermographic Systems / Thermal Cameras). (n.d.). Retrieved December 02, 2020, from https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/general-hospital-devices-and-supplies/thermal-imaging-systems-infrared-thermographic-systems-thermal-imaging-cameras
Vergun, D. (2020, May 6). Department Uses Thermal Imaging to Detect COVID-19. Retrieved December 02, 2020, from https://www.defense.gov/Explore/News/Article/Article/2178320/department-uses-thermal-imaging-to-detect-covid-19/
What Is CCTV & How Does it Work? (2019, July 30). Retrieved December 02, 2020, from https://www.statesystemsinc.com/blog/what-is-cctv
Appendix A-Task Schedule
Figure 4: Project Evaluation Schedule, created by Andrea Rivera Razo, 11/30/2020.
The task schedule, showed on Figure 4, will be monitored by a third-party member in which a consultant from the company will be assigned as a program coordinator. Throughout the project evaluation timeline, the consultant will assist us on an hourly basis from the Cost Analysis stage to the Final Testing and Review stage of the project.
