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<\/a><\/div>\nCredit:\u00a0Courtesy NSWC-Crane<\/h5>\n
\u201cSince the tech can detect temperatures in a crowd and from a long distance, it\u2019s more flexible than other solutions we had been looking at,\u201d said Stacy Burris, the hospital\u2019s director of community outreach. \u201cThis will cause less interruption in normal operations and allow for more social distancing between staff and anyone coming into the hospital. That could mean less screening staff having to quarantine from exposure.\u201d<\/p>\n
The U.S. has suffered more than 200,000 deaths from the coronavirus, adding to the one million globally. And public health experts are concerned that a COVID-19 resurgence is mounting as the weather cools and schools and universities reopen.<\/p>\n
High body temperature is a key indicator of COVID-19 infection. Burris said the hospital had not found a system for fever detection until they learned of Crane\u2019s thermal imaging technology.<\/p>\n
\u201cWithout Crane, we might still be weighing the pros and cons of other solutions,\u201d she said. \u201cInstead, we\u2019re already working to schedule a time for the Crane scientists to set the equipment up.\u201d<\/p>\n
The software runs on any laptop with USB capability, which is paired with a capture card, a commercial infrared sensor, and a calibrated black body, a temperature reference tool that the software compares with the temperature of a person.<\/p>\n
The Navy\u2019s software-enabled system, invented by Aaron Cole and Marcin Malec, is also capable of detecting fevers in near real-time \u2013 every 0.016 seconds and works on individuals and moving crowds.<\/p>\n
Tech Transfer Opportunity<\/h3>\n
The Navy\u2019s temp-scanning invention, a novel combination of technical knowledge, sensors, and software, was made available to the hospital via a royalty-free license agreement and a cooperative research and development agreement, with support from Radius Indiana, an economic development agency, and TechLink, the Department of Defense\u2019s national partnership intermediary for tech transfer.<\/p>\n
In April, the Navy lab\u2019s\u00a0Tech Transfer Office<\/a>, led by Ms. Jenna Dix, made its 300+ patent portfolio available through a new \u201cRapid Response Licensing Program,\u201d giving licensees up to 18 months to develop COVID-19 related applications before paying the royalties normally part of a patent license agreement.<\/p>\n Dix said that tech transfer allows federal R&D to spur growth in the private sector, creating jobs and new tech solutions for the public. Dix said other private companies and entrepreneurs can also license then use, or license to manufacture and sell, the temp-checking tech.<\/p>\n \u201cThis technology was made for sailors and Department of Defense civilians, but has applicability just about anywhere,\u201d said Dix. \u201cWe want Crane\u2019s resources to be made available to others-out of the lab and right into the hands of the public.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Licensing inquiries can be sent to Sean Patten, senior tech manager at TechLink, at\u00a0spatten@montana.edu<\/a>\u00a0or to Ms. Jenna Dix at\u00a0jenna.dix@navy.mil<\/a><\/p>\n