As coronavirus positive cases increase in Mumbai, Pune, authorities are turning to high-tech “smart helmets” to speed up screenings and identify suspected cases.The deployment in Mumbai’s northern suburbs is part of the recent public-private-partnership initiative of BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) after the success achieved in Dharavi.
Imported from South Korea, the Smart Helmets have been provided by an NGO Bharatiya Jain Sanghatana (BJS), each costing Rs 6,00,000, taking the Covid-19 combat strategy to a new high-tech dimension, said BJS managing committee member, Dr. Neelu Jain.Each helmet is equipped with two cameras, an image camera in the front, and a thermal camera on the side which can simultaneously screen 13 persons per minute.
Earlier, the health teams used infrared thermal guns to check peoples’ temperatures but it had limitations as it could screen around 200 persons in one hour.However, the new portable Smart Helmets can screen up to 6,000 people per hour, provided they stand in a queue, making the process simpler and quicker.Presently, BJS has acquired 4 Smart Helmets and is hoping to get more, but currently, they are not available since they are in demand globally.
