Infrared Thermal Imaging Camera Temperature Measurement Operation

On April 30th, at the emergency entrance of Xi'an International Center, an infrared thermal imager is being used for contactless temperature measurement for those entering and exiting.

At the emergency entrance of Xi'an International Center, an infrared thermal imager stands quietly in the corner. Those passing in front of it are unknowingly subjected to body temperature checks. Should a fever patient be detected, it immediately sounds an alarm. Since early February, with the arrival of three infrared intelligent remote body temperature detection systems, the hospital has gained three pairs of special "eyes."

This is a缩影 of how intelligent equipment is aiding in the prevention and control efforts. The ongoing efforts are advancing the development of the domestic public health system and have emerged as a catalyst and accelerator for the long-term growth of the equipment industry. Equipment companies are increasingly leveraging technological and digital innovations, each showcasing their unique strengths, to enhance services' intelligence and precision, thereby safeguarding public health.

As some industry experts have noted, under the normalization of prevention and control measures, we need such equipment wrapped in elements like "contactless," "smart," and "digital automation" more than ever. Similarly, they will play a significant role in facilitating the intelligent management of the public health system, creating a strong market demand.

Highlighting the Shortage of Smart Equipment

On the morning of March 9th, the Press Office of Shaanxi Province held a press conference on the province's COVID-19 prevention and control efforts. It was mentioned that since the outbreak of COVID-19, our province has actively leveraged its technological advantages in artificial intelligence, thermal imaging, facial recognition, and robotics. We have proactively researched and developed products such as infrared thermographic cameras for body temperature screening, non-contact stethoscopes, patrol robots, unmanned disinfection and inspection robots, and disinfection service drones. These products have been successively deployed in train stations, bus stations, airports, and other crowded places across multiple provinces, establishing a safety barrier for the personnel flow and gatherings brought about by the resumption of work and production.

Since its inception, the Meixuesong team at Xi'an Jiaotong University has developed a series of products including body temperature screening robots and unmanned disinfection inspection robots, which have been applied in environments such as Hubei Provincial People's Hospital. In early February, the Zhuorui Public Welfare Foundation donated 6 infrared intelligent remote body temperature detection systems, with 3 sets deployed at the Xi'an International Center, 2 at the International High-Tech Zone, and 1 at Guoshang Luoyang. Pedestrians passing through the infrared lens within 8 meters can be quickly detected, and the infrared intelligent remote body temperature detection system can display human thermal images and high surface temperatures in just one second. Operators can obtain accurate data with a resolution of 0.05 degrees Celsius, solving the issue of close contact required for traditional temperature measurements. This can effectively and quickly measure the body temperature of pedestrians without physical contact, avoiding crowds and cross-infection, and significantly reducing the workload of workers, effectively constructing a "smart defense" against the pandemic.

The equipment industry encompasses numerous fields, with some niche markets experiencing explosive growth, including robots with disinfection and protective functions. Wearable health monitoring devices and AI-assisted diagnostic systems are rapidly becoming more widespread, transforming traditional disease prevention and detection methods and providing new means to enhance the quality of healthcare services.

A professional research report indicates that nearly one million robots will be used in the commercial sector in 2020, with more than half being professional service robots, generating over $16 billion in revenue, a 30% increase from 2019.

The domestic substitution of smart equipment is accelerating.

As industry standards are revised and improved, the domestic medical equipment industry will be more conducive to developing towards standardization, normalization, and high quality. After undergoing a "major exam," the domestic substitution in the medical equipment industry has accelerated.

The development of intelligent equipment is supported by "hard technology." In early February, Xi'an Zhizhen Intelligent Technology Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as Zhizhen Technology), an incubating enterprise at the Cross-Information Core Institute in Xi'an High-Tech Zone, participated in the research and development of the "Intelligent Auxiliary Diagnosis System for Novel Coronavirus Pneumonia." The project has passed the acceptance. Wang Bo, the responsible person of Zhizhen Technology, said that the intelligent auxiliary diagnosis system for novel coronavirus pneumonia can complete a large number of chest CT screenings for suspected cases in a short period of time, significantly improve the diagnosis efficiency of novel coronavirus pneumonia, greatly alleviate the clinical treatment pressure on the front line, and enable patients to receive early and accurate diagnosis and treatment, aiming to improve patient prognosis and reduce mortality.

In mid-February, the research team from Xi'an University of Electronic Science and Technology collaborated with the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University's Imaging Department via remote video conferences. Building upon previous research in image processing, they conducted scientific research and攻关, discussed plans, and designed models. They relied on CT images of the lungs of suspected and confirmed COVID-19 patients from Shanghai Ruijin Hospital and the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University. By analyzing the characteristics of COVID-19 patients' lung CT images, they developed an early detection and screening model system for the novel coronavirus based on deep learning. After testing with outpatients' data, the model can reduce the workload by nearly 80% and has a detection recall rate exceeding 95% for COVID-19 patients.

Reporters from several sources in Xi'an have learned that some intelligent equipment, including infrared intelligent remote body temperature detection systems and delivery robots, have made their debut on the front lines. Moreover, the domestic proportion of these devices is gradually increasing.

Industry experts suggest that only by competing with high-quality domestic brand products against imported ones can the market prices of smart medical devices decrease, truly benefiting the general public. If the shortcomings of domestic smart medical devices can be addressed, many diseases can be prevented, early diagnosis and intervention can be achieved, and overall costs will decrease, which will be more conducive to the health of the people.

In April 2019, the National Medical Products Administration launched the China Pharmaceutical Regulatory Science Action Plan. To accelerate the research on key technologies for the safety regulation of artificial intelligence medical devices, the National Medical Products Administration has included the research on the safety and efficacy evaluation of artificial intelligence medical devices in the key research projects of pharmaceutical regulatory science. With the increasing pursuit of health and awareness of protection, the country's attention to the medical device industry has intensified, and with the promotion of supporting policies, domestic substitution is expected to become the main theme of the medical device industry in the future.

The market potential for smart devices is significant.

The myriad of smart robots now making waves merely scratches the surface of the machinery industry. The COVID-19 pandemic has served as a "major exam," propelling industry growth, with many machinery sectors now speeding into a development fast lane.

During this pandemic response, many image AI companies chose to放弃the Spring Festival break, actively engaging in front-line communication, on-site testing, and product research and development, contributing to the effort in their own way.

From Wuhan's Huoshenshan Hospital to institutions across more than 20 provinces and regions across the country, Unyee Technology Group's "Intelligent Sky Eye CT," "cloud platform," and AI-assisted analysis systems for COVID-19 have stood out in the fight against the pandemic. Particularly, the demand for Unyee's AI-powered "Intelligent Sky Eye CT" and X-ray equipment with visual exposure technology has surged significantly.

Not only that, the overseas market is also experiencing strong demand. Relevant data shows that since early March, Mindray has received equipment orders from multiple countries in Europe, the Asia-Pacific region, and the Middle East; numerous devices have been shipped overseas, including ventilators and monitors; the联影CT has also arrived in New York, the "heavy灾区" in the U.S., showcasing the power of Chinese equipment; and the leader in intelligent DR, Shentou, has already shipped nearly a hundred DR units overseas to assist various countries.

China is the world's second-largest medical device market, following the U.S., and the medical device industry is a key-supported emerging sector in our country. After the "major exam," the medical device field is becoming increasingly attractive to new investors. The demand for intelligent products, emergency protective supplies, and in vitro diagnostic products will gradually rise, and medical devices are poised to become the next hot area. The development of telemedicine and remote healthcare will also gradually address issues of resource shortages.

Next, in the equipment industry, where technology is at the core and products are the王牌, those who can truly and efficiently address clinical practical issues will win the market. Therefore, equipment must ensure product quality, conduct strict inspections at every stage, thereby winning trust and market share.