Southern Nevada RTC to implement thermal imaging solution to help mitigate risk of COVID-19
The Regional Transportation Commission (RTC) of Southern Nevada will utilize advanced temperature screening technology from AT&T and Hitachi Vantara to detect elevated body temperatures for employees, contractors and visitors at company facilities.
The deployment of thermal analysis units throughout five RTC employee facilities aim to enhance the organization's health and safety measures to help safeguard staff and riders in the Southern Nevada community.
The thermal imaging solution, enabled by Hitachi Vantara's Lumada Video Insights technology and AT&T's 4G LTE connectivity, uses a thermal camera and machine learning software to flag individuals with an elevated body temperature. The person watching the monitor will then have the opportunity to visually identify or manually intervene. Providing an average of one-to-two-second scans per person, the solution is effective for detecting elevated body temperature which could be an indication of any ailment that causes fever, such as the common cold or the flu, as well as for COVID-19. The thermal imaging solution will cover 1,500 employees and contractors, including bus drivers, who come and go throughout RTC facilities each day.
"Slowing the spread of COVID-19 is a priority for the RTC," said M.J. Maynard, RTC CEO. "These thermal scanners will help serve as a first layer of defense for our employees and our transit contractors that interact with our customers and community on a daily basis. While we have just implemented the system and are still testing, this is another tool that we are adding to our ongoing safety measures that will help better protect our transit riders and community."
The thermal analysis solution is tailored to RTC's environment. The screener's monitor produces a thermal image by detecting infrared heat from a person and converting it into an electrical signal. A human silhouette is flagged on the RTC screener's monitor with a red or green light notification determined by a pre-set temperature threshold and is not saved.
"Working with Hitachi Vantara and RTC, we are providing thermal imaging and cellular connectivity through our AT&T IoT Video Intelligence Solution to help ensure a healthy Southern Nevada community," said Robert Boyanovsky, vice president of mobility and IoT, AT&T. "This collaboration shows that an innovative, well-engineered solution in IoT technology is critical element in attaining operational excellence and efficiency as we all strive to protect our communities in this time of need."
"Health and safety is a crucial area of focus for public transportation agencies and RTC of Southern Nevada is an exemplary organization utilizing digital technology to enhance its capabilities," said Mark Jules, global vice president of Smart Spaces and Lumada Video Insights, Hitachi Vantara. "The use by AT&T of Hitachi Vantara's technology will help RTC better protect employees and the general public with minimal intrusiveness, helping to maintain the flow of foot traffic throughout designated facilities."
