A remote body temperature screening system, initiated by Professor Bui Van Ga, former Deputy Minister of Education and Training cum former Director of the Da Nang University (UDN), has claimed a third prize in the recently–held ‘Initiatives for the Community 2020’ national-level programme.

A remote body temperature monitoring device is placed at the main gate of the University of Da Nang

Previously, former Deputy Minister Ga had came up with the idea of creating the medical device when seeing medical workers use infrared thermometers to implement temperature screening of all visitors and staff at the UDN.

He realised the fact that infrared thermometers have been popularly used to screen the temperatures to detect fever, one of the most common symptoms of SARS-CoV-2 infection. However, temperature measurement with such a hand-held device is performed at a close distance of only between 5 and 10cm, hereby posing a high risk of cross infections. Therefore, the professor and his colleagues quickly created a remote temperature measurement device.

The non-contact temperature measurement device features the integration of a handheld infrared thermometer, a webcam and a remote control system connected to the internet.

Also, the medical device features an automatic height-adjustment system to adjust the infrared thermometer in proportion to the height of the to-be-measured person in order to ensure the accuracy of the temperature measurement.

Another advantageous point is that Professor Ga-initiated device is priced at only around 10 million VND, much lower than the figure of up to 300 million VND set for an imported one with the same functions.

Co-hosted by the Communist magazine, the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Ha Noi People’s Committee, the Viet Nam General Confederation of Labour and the Vietnam Electricity, the 2020 programme attracted a total of 400 entries across Viet Nam.

By NGOC PHU –Translated by A.T