Because of COVID-19, the world is now much more familiar with the benefits of infrared technology and their usefulness in screening body temperatures. Take a look at how Google searches for infrared thermometers skyrocketed in mid-March. More and more people are opting for infrared thermometers because of their quick and precise temperature readings without requiring physical contact. With so many first-time owners of these devices, it’s important to understand how this technology works and the best way to use it.

Infrared Thermometers for Measuring Skin Temperature

Traditional mercury or digital thermometers are used by placing the instrument inside an object — most commonly, in your mouth under your tongue. Infrared thermometers, on the other hand, allow temperature to be measured without contacting the object (or your body) at all. When triggered, light bounces off the surface of the object and detects radiation emitted from the object. The thermometer then infers the temperature based on that electrical emission with impressive accuracy. For example, ICI’s non-contact thermometer has an accuracy of ± 0.3 °C / ± 0.5 °F. Depending on external circumstances, the thermometer can be as accurate as ± 0.2 °C / ± 0.4 °F. It is important to note the distinction that these thermometers are measuring skin or surface temperature and not internal temperature. A high surface temperature could be caused by a fever, or it could be caused by sitting outside on a hot day. Think about the difference in internal versus surface temperature when cooking. Your steak might have a very high surface temperature from its direct contact on the grill, but its internal temperature may still be low and nearly raw.

How Does an Infrared Thermometer Work?

Liquid thermometers, commonly containing mercury, provide a readout when the liquid expands in response to heat. An RTD digital thermometer contains a sensor that computes temperature change. What distinguishes the IR thermometer is that it focuses infrared light at an object to detect and measure energy or radiation coming from its surface. The detector then translates the amount of electricity generated into a temperature reading.

How to Use an Infrared Thermometer

The process of obtaining an accurate measurement using an IR thermometer is simple, but proper usage is critical for obtaining the best results. For instance, where one points the thermometer matters. When measuring body temperature, the warmest part of the human body is actually located in the inside portion of the eye, and not on the forehead as many commonly believe. This is where you should point the thermometer. Fun fact: This is the most accurate location due to a vein that runs directly from the heart’s aorta to the inner corner of the eye. To safely take temperature in the inner canthus, follow these steps:

• The patient should be steady and not moving around.
• The patient’s eyes should close while the physician lines up the laster.
• Physician turns off the laser.
• Patient reopens his or her eyes.
• Physician takes the temperature.

Remember that these steps will need to be modified for those who are visually impaired or deaf. Another consideration is that these instruments are meant to be used in close proximity. Reading the product guide to determine the ideal distance from the object is as important as the aim of the instrument. Distance to spot ratio differs among each device and means that calculated positioning is required in order to gain an accurate reading of the target area. Too much area outside of the desired target will affect the accuracy of the reading. For reference, ICI’s infrared thermometer requires the person screening to stand between 5-15 centimeters away from the target.

ICI’s HotSpot Non Contact Thermometer

Infrared Cameras Inc.’s HotSpot Non-Contact Infrared Thermometer is a digital infrared thermometer that provides accurate and stable body temperature readings and has been deemed safe and effective. This portable powerhouse fits in a lab coat and has a data logger that allows it to store up to 32 readings and can be set to sound an alarm upon reading a specific temperature range. Infrared technology, whether in the form of thermal cameras or thermometers, is an extremely efficient, safe, and helpful tool for measuring skin temperatures. While the advantages of IR thermometers make the technology very appealing, it is important to keep in mind that these tools are most effective in the hands of those armed with proper information and training. Contact us for more information about finding the perfect infrared products and technology for your needs as well as training and educational opportunities.

The Telegraph quoted ICI founder Gary Strahan regarding what the post-coronavirus future might look like in terms of temperature screenings. See an excerpt of the article here: Gary Strahan, founder of Infrared Cameras in Texas, has been working 4am until 10pm to get orders to the flurry of new customers. “Every corporation has bought hundreds of cameras from us,” he says. Strahan says Infrared Cameras were putting cameras on robots in Chinese hospitals before “people in the US, in England” had any idea of how big a threat Covid-19 was. He has experienced surges in demand just a few times before: when Ebola and H1N1 struck. Business may be booming, but Strahan wishes the “horrendous” situation would go away. Unfortunately, that would be wishful thinking. “I believe you are going to see infrared cameras become as common as CCTV,” he says. READ MORE ON THE TELEGRAPH >>

The Beaumont Enterprise interviewed ICI CEO and founder Gary Strahan about infrared technology and the role it can play in the fight against coronavirus. Read an excerpt here: A local company’s advanced infrared cameras and basic thermometers are being used to help limit the spread the COVID-19 coronavirus strain in China. The company has experience with increased demand during global outbreaks, but its founder and CEO sees change on the horizon. Gary Strahan, CEO of the Beaumont-based Infrared Cameras Inc., has been working with and on infrared technology since his days as a welder in the U.S. Navy. Once in his civilian life, he started working as a salesman for companies like FLIR and was present for the consolidation of some of the early innovators in the field before striking out on his own in his hometown. Since founding his company in the late 1990s, Strahan and his team of camera makers and programmers have been developing systems used in industries including aerospace, oil and gas, and medicine. His company has been tapped before to provide equipment in the SARs epidemic, H1N1 breakout and — mostly recently — the 2014 Ebola pandemic in Africa, but he sees the latest virus making headlines as something different. “We’ve never seen something like this impact the modern global market in the way coronavirus will,” Strahan said. “It’s going to change the way we live, in my opinion, and trying to catch it early is my goal.” The full Press Release on Beaumont Infrared Pioneer Sees Tech as Buffer for Coronavirus can be found here.

12News recently featured Infrared Cameras Inc about the company's efforts to slow down the spread of coronavirus. Read a highlight here: Southeast Texas is taking center stage in the fight against the coronavirus as a Beaumont company's infrared cameras are now in high-demand. Infrared Cameras Incorporated, which has been in around since 1995, makes the cameras which have varied uses including electrical thermography, process control as well as medical uses. Recently sales for cameras for medical use have spiked in response to the coronavirus according to CEO Gary Strahan. The sensitive scientific cameras can measure the surface temperatures of people and the readings can help doctors determine how to treat patients according to Strahan. "We're building these cameras as fast as we can. We have millions of purchase orders right now in little Beaumont, Texas. We're building cameras to put them out around the world to stop the spread of this infectious disease," Strahan said. The full press release can be found here.

BEAUMONT, Texas — Infrared Cameras Incorporated (ICI), manufactures P and S Series IR Cameras, which provide accurate skin surface temperature readings from the first 1/1000^th inch of epidermal layer; another product, IR Flash Software version 1.0, visualizes this data and allows for report building functionalities. These devices and software are intended for adjunct use with other clinical diagnostic procedures to help curb the spread of infectious diseases. They can be used in hospitals, sub-acute healthcare settings, and public areas, i.e. airports, schools, etc. Devices are made to order in the USA. P and S-Series IR Cameras are paired with ICI's award-winning IR Flash Software version 1.0. This combo offers unmatched image quality and state-of-the-art radiometric accuracy while streaming real-time radiometric data directly to any desktop, laptop, or embedded system. Users can integrate the system with touchscreen devices and touch enabled monitors. Windows and Linux software, drivers and SDKs are available for custom applications. The full press release on ICI Steps Up to Prevent Spread of Coronavirus with Infrared Cameras and Report Building Software can be found here.

The Dallas Business Journal wrote a feature about Infrared Cameras Inc.'s battle with coronavirus and efforts to fulfill the increased demand. Read the excerpt here, and check out the full article on the Journal's website. A small Texas company is seeing a surge in demand as it helps the world in its fight against the coronavirus. Beaumont's Infrared Cameras Inc. is providing gear that can help quickly identify people who might have fevers, giving countries a tool that can be paired with other tests to determine if someone has the coronavirus. The company develops and manufactures the products– and the technology-powered gear is stirring interest from places such as Africa and Asia, according to Gary Strahan, CEO of the company.

Between Jan. 1 and this week, ICI has sold more than 1,000 systems compared to an average of around 100 a month as demand climbs, he said.

“It’s gone through the roof,” Strahan said. “We’ve had explosive growth.”

READ MORE ON DALLAS BUSINESS JOURNAL >>

Infrared Cameras Inc CEO Gary Strahan was quoted in the New York Times discussing a spike in demand due to the coronavirus. Read the excerpt here: Thousands of miles from the heart of the outbreak, a small technology supplier in Beaumont, Texas, has also been feeling the crush of demand. The company, Infrared Cameras Inc, makes high-tech imaging equipment as well as infrared thermometers, which cost $25 apiece. In a normal month, the company sells about 100 infrared cameras, according to its chief executive, Gary Strahan. Since January, the company has sold more than 1,000, supplying schools, cruise ships, factories, offices, hospitals, and theaters in countries like China and South Korea. Mr. Strahan said he had been working every day from 4 a.m. to 10 p.m. to keep up with the orders. “It’s the most overwhelming thing I’ve had to deal with in my life,” he said. “We’ve got people coming to us directly, saying: ‘Can you supply 1,000 cameras? Can you supply 2,000 cameras?’” The company’s cameras and thermometer guns have a margin of error of 0.1 to 0.2 degrees Celsius, according to Mr. Strahan, who has been selling infrared cameras since the 1990's. But many products on the market are less reliable. Click here to read more on the New York Times. Click here to read more on Business Insider.