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iMotion Security maximizes donations policy to help hospitals amid COVID-19

The president of Montreal-based iMotion Security, Frederic Abenaim, has granted several donations of thermographic cameras to help in the fight of COVID-19.

As a result, hospitals in Montreal and Laval, as well as organizations such as Groupe communautaire L’Itinéraire, received thermographic cameras worth over $6,000 each.

“Some of our clients did not have the budget to acquire this technology as it is quite expensive, so we decided to offer these cameras to assist our clients in their everyday struggle,” Abenaim said in a prepared statement. “If our actions can serve as an example by prompting other similar initiatives to help protect the health of as many Quebecers as possible, we would be very proud of it. We therefore encourage all companies to help, so that collectively, we can successfully overcome this global crisis. ”

In the last few weeks there has been a lot of interest in thermographic cameras. The most frequently asked questions are: Are these cameras effective during a pandemic? Are they reliable? How do they help health care providers?

These same questions were asked to Bruce Lapointe, chief of service at the Centre intégré universitaire de santé et de services sociaux (CIUSSS) Centre-Sud-de-l’Île-de-Montréal, who had the opportunity to use the devices for several weeks in various hospitals under his management.

“Since the beginning of the crisis, we have tested approximately 130,000 people. Each scan takes between 2-3 seconds, which is very fast,” Lapointe said in a company statement. “This avoids congestion at the entrance to the hospitals. If an employee has a high temperature, he or she is redirected to the testing centre. If the result is positive, the employee is placed on leave until full recovery. The cameras are handled by security guards who stand 2 to 3 meters away from visitors, minimizing their risk of exposure.”

Privacy Concerns
Abenaim explains that thermographic technology “is not networkable”. The only function of these cameras is to read body temperatures; they do not record either photo or video. No information about employees or visitors is retained. Privacy and personal data are therefore protected.

Technology that makes screening easier
Equipped with advanced detectors and algorithms, thermographic temperature monitoring cameras are designed for immediate detection and preliminary screening of high skin surface temperatures, with an accuracy of up to ±0.3°C. One of the most common symptoms of the virus is a temperature above 38°C.

Precise specifications
– 1-second detection of body temperature;
– Detection of several individuals simultaneously;
– Non-contact measurement;
– Immediate alert of the operators if the recorded temperature is higher than 38 °C;
– Artificial intelligence reducing false alarms from other heat sources.

To guarantee an optimal result, a combination of different technologies is put in place by ICSU.