Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Coronavirus: AI firms deploy fever detection systems in Beijing to fight outbreak

Megvii and Baidu have rolled out advanced temperature screening systems in major Beijing railway stations. National AI champions are taking the lead in Beijing’s latest initiative against the coronavirus outbreak

Beijing authorities are scrambling to deploy more advanced artificial intelligence-powered temperature screening systems at various locations to keep the new coronavirus from spreading, as millions of Chinese return to work after an extended Lunar New Year holiday.

National AI champions Megvii and Baidu, which are both based in the nation’s capital, have introduced their systems in response to the call made last month by Zhongguancun Science City, the administrator of Beijing’s innovation parks, to improve temperature monitoring in the city.

Megvii said on Tuesday that pilot programmes for its remote fever detection system have been set up in the city’s Mudanyuan subway station and at a government administration building in the northwestern district of Haidian. That followed online search giant Baidu’s activation of infrared sensors at Qinghe station on Sunday.

The Beijing government last Friday started temperature measurements at all subway stations in the city, using traditional infrared imaging scanners and handheld thermometers.

Megvii’s remote fever detection system can measure a person’s temperature in a crowd at a distance of up to five metres. The system was designed to work through masks and hats worn by people, with a margin of error within 0.3 degrees Celsius, according to the company.

It said the system, which covers as many as 16 checkpoints at one station, can measure the temperature of up to 15 people per second, quickly locate a person in a group image and send fever alerts, while requiring just one staff on site, according to a Megvii representative.

Baidu’s screening system, by contrast, can detect the temperature of masked people on the move, with a margin of error within 0.05 degrees Celsius. A Baidu representative said the company will soon roll out this system to the subway entrance connected to the Beijing South Railway Station.

Zhongguancun Science City did not immediately respond to an inquiry about the prospects of widening these systems’ deployment, as the central government steps up efforts to stop the coronavirus outbreak.

The advanced temperature detection systems set up in Beijing marks a surge in the use of AI-backed technology in the country to help contain the virus from spreading. Other initiatives have included robotic cleaners spraying disinfectant at segregated wards to AI voice assistants calling people to give advice on home quarantine.

The need for a more advanced screening system comes as the coronavirus outbreak has resulted in more than 500 deaths, overtaking the number of fatalities caused by the Sars epidemic in 2003, and more than 27,000 confirmed cases around the country, according to China’s National Health Commission.

In many public areas, such as supermarkets and rail stations, monitoring staff typically use handheld temperature-measuring devices to screen each person at a site. Apart from being a slow and relatively inefficient approach, it also puts staff at risk of being infected.

Still, efforts to swiftly roll out these intelligent temperature screening systems nationwide could be hampered by the virus outbreak. Certain cities are locked down and transport is restricted.

Huazhong Numerical Control, for example, is based in the city of Wuhan – the epicentre of the coronavirus outbreak – which has slowed down the company’s production and delivery of infrared sensors for temperature monitoring systems across the country. The firm must obtain a special government approval to transport and deliver goods, according to Li Kai, the company’s head of infrared products, in a phone interview.

“The demand is far larger than our production capacity and our inventory is zero,” he said.

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
Western Europe Records Hottest June on Record
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
France Requests Airlines to Cut Flights at Paris Airports Amid Planned Air Traffic Controller Strike
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Extreme Heat Wave Sweeps Across Europe, Hitting Record Temperatures
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Germany Votes to Suspend Family Reunification for Asylum Seekers
Budapest Pride Parade Draws 200,000 Participants Amid Government Ban
Southern Europe Experiences Extreme Heat
Xiaomi's YU7 SUV Launch Garners Record Pre-Orders Amid Market Challenges
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's Lavish Wedding in Venice
Russia Launches Largest Air Assault on Ukraine Since Invasion
Massive Anti-Government Protests Erupt in Belgrade
Iran Executes Alleged Israeli Spies and Arrests Hundreds Amid Post-War Crackdown
Hungary's Prime Minister Criticizes NATO's Role in Ukraine
EU TO HUNGARY: LET THEM PRIDE OR PREP FOR SHADE. ORBÁN TO EU: STAY IN YOUR LANE AND FIX YOUR OWN MESS.
Hungarian Scientist to Conduct 30 Research Experiments on the International Space Station
NATO Members Agree to 5% Defense Spending Target by 2035
NATO Leaders Endorse Plan for Increased Defence Spending
U.S. Crude Oil Prices Drop Below $65 Amid Market Volatility
International Astronaut Team Launched to Space Station
Macron and Merz: Europe must arm itself in an unstable world
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Iran Intensifies Crackdown on Alleged Mossad Operatives After Sabotage Claims
Trump Praises Iran’s ‘Very Weak’ Response After U.S. Strikes and Presses Israel to Pursue Peace
Oil Prices Set to Surge After US Strikes Iran
BA and Singapore Airlines Cancel Dubai Flights Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Faces Backlash from MAGA Base Over Iran Strikes
Meta Bets $14 B on Alexandr Wang to Drive AI Ambitions
FedEx Founder Fred Smith, ‘Heart and Soul’ of the Company, Dies at 80
Chinese Factories Shift Away from U.S. Amid Trump‑Era Tariffs
Pimco Seizes Opportunity in Japan’s Dislocated Bond Market
Labubu Doll Drives Pop Mart to Status as China’s Most Valuable Toy Maker
Global Coal Demand Defies Paris Accord Goals
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Telegram Founder: I Will Leave My Fortune to Over 100 of My Children
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
×