IoT Sensors Combat Spread of COVID-19 at Airports| Symmetry Blog
About Savannah Cuthbert
Internet of Things (IoT) sensors are already being used in airports and on airplanes to collect and monitor mass amounts of data pertaining to aircraft maintenance, airline worker safety, and passenger infotainment systems. This commercial and industrial IoT subset is referred to as the Internet of Avionic Things (IoAT). With thousands of data points being captured in the airline industry, many systems utilize edge computing principles to ensure local cloud processing for efficient, real-time analysis. Additionally, hosting data at the edge ensures that data monitoring will not be compromised even in the event of a network failure.
While our world continues to combat the COVID-19 virus, the airline industry is facing a major challenge in ensuring the health safety of travelers. Especially in these summer months while vacation travel is escalating, combatting the spread of the coronavirus is of heightened concern. Fortunately, airports around the world are utilizing and enhancing their current IoT infrastructure to install contact tracing and proximity monitoring solutions. The following are some potential mission critical use cases that can be used to help combat the spread of COVID-19 in airports:
1. Health Vital Scanning
Infrared (IR) sensor systems can be used to scan the vitals of passengers as they check in through security. This will help quickly identify individuals who could be contracting the coronavirus.
2. Contact Tracing/Proximity Monitoring
Several airports around the world are utilizing contact tracing and proximity monitoring via device tracking or through beacons to monitor and address high concentrations of people.
Browse contact tracing/proximity monitoring solutions available at Symmetry Electronics:
3. Indoor Air Quality Sensing
Airports are taking action to ensure proper indoor air ventilation for passengers. Poor air ventilation and contaminated filters from air handling units can increase the exposure of human-exhaled airborne infectious aerosols. Sensirion’s SCD4x CO2 sensor is helping address CO2 levels while combatting the presence of airborne viruses in indoor environments.
Find out more from the Airlines Use IoT Playbook to Battle COVID-19 article from Design News.